Forgotten Heritage
by Andy Fox
Summary: Entire story now online! Andy Fox helps the Tiny Toons discover their animal heritages, as he discovers his own, through the help of some new friends and an unexpected journey.
1. Part I: A World Expands

Forgotten Heritage  
by Andy Fox (landru@minn.net)

Posted between March and December, 2003

This story and any accompanying art is available online at www1.minn.net/~landru/book.

This is a PG-rated story.

All commercially licensed cartoon characters are copyright and trademarks of their respective companies. All the rest are unique characters of Andy Fox.

Fluffy's voice provided by Joss Ackland  
Sasha Raccoon's voice provided by Janet Wright  
Phillip Sandal played by Keith David  
...the rest are up to you!

Translation of Fluffy's dialog in chapter one provided by "Acme's English Toon Rabbit dictionary, 5th Edition".

This is a work of pure fiction based upon the Andy Fox Chronicles storyline, but not to the point where they are required reading for this story. Any similarities between the events depicted in this story to actual ones in Toonity is purely coincidental.

--

From the bookjacket:

  
Andy Fox hasn't been feeling himself lately. Since bringing Fluffy home to live with him, he has been at odds with his animal spirit within, feeling he has somehow abandoned it by his modern lifestyle. This feeling is enhanced as he gives a lecture to the Tiny Toons about animal heritage near their graduation from Acme Looniversity. The situation is further complicated as two lab mice take up an unexpected journey.   
Helped along by some unexpected friends, Andy makes the decision of taking a very ancient toon ritual to re-unite himself with his fox heritage, even though it means leaving Slappy and Skippy, and abandoning everything he knows for an unknown future.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER 1: A World Expands

  
"Pinky?"   
"Yes, Brain?"   
"Are you ready?"   
"Um... ready for what, Brain?"   
*whack*   
"Ouch! Hahaha! Zort!"   
Two white lab mice stood precariously upon a small round dais. The shorter of the two held a large remote control in a paw. He pressed a few buttons on it, causing a wild arc of energy to dance and play around the two mice and illuminate the entire lab. The mouse held the remote above him triumphantly. "Finally, Pinky! We are about to rule the world!"   
The mouse depressed a large red button on the remote. The thunderous crash of a gigantic energy bolt filled the room with sound and dazzling light, and then--complete silence. The energy bolt fizzed into nothingness, and a thin wisp of charred fur rose up from the now empty dais.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
Andy awoke to the sound of something barely audible. His large, pointed ears twitched as they picked up sounds throughout the house. They heard Slappy down on the back deck reading a book, and they heard Skippy playing darts downstairs in one of the game rooms. It made Andy happy to hear these sounds. For decades his home had only one permanent resident. Now it will full of the sounds of others. Neither of the sounds from the two squirrels, however, was the sound that had caught his attention. It was another faint sound that the fox had noticed. Stretching, he smiled as he finally realized that the sound was coming from a television in another corner of the mansion where another new resident of the house could often be found.   
After performing his normal toiletry motions, he set off down the hallway to the source of the noise. As he went, he caught the strong smell of nut bread being toasted from down in the kitchen. His stomach began to growl.   
  
He opened the door to Fluffy's "room" to see the giant carousel rabbit sprawled out on the couch watching television. It was a very unnatural position for a rabbit, yet Fluffy appeared to be quite comfortable. Upon seeing Andy, however, he began to meekly remove himself from the couch and relinquish the piece of furniture to the fox. Andy quickly raised a paw.   
"Don't bother," he began. "This is your room too." He glanced at the television which was tuned to a local cartoon drama channel. Fluffy caught his gaze.   
"I can't understand what's being said," he shrugged, speaking to the fox in his language of Rabbit, "but I like to watch it anyhow."   
"Mmmm." Andy scratched his chin.   
"Sometimes I wish I was smarter like other animals," Fluffy sighed, "then I'd know English and understand what everyone around me is saying."   
"Yes," Andy muttered. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that." He sat down next to Fluffy. "I'm sorry if I've made you feel a bit out of place here with me. Not many of my friends can speak Rabbit, so when they come over..."   
"Oh, no. It's not you," Fluffy protested hurriedly. "It's just that... well, when you're on a carousel you don't do that much talking. Oh. sure we animals would talk amongst ourselves, and we always knew what was going on in the world, But now... well..." Fluffy stammered. He pretended to examine one of his forepaws as he finished. "I can't even talk to Skippy and have him understand me."   
The fox gently took one of Fluffy's hind feet and picked a piece of dirt from it. He tossed it aside where it vanished in mid-air before ever reaching the floor.   
"I think he understands you well enough," Andy offered, petting the rabbit's large foot before placing it back on the couch.   
"Well, you know what I mean," Fluffy argued quietly, stretching his toes. "I enjoy greatly playing with the little scamp. I just wish I could tell him that once in a while."   
"Mmmm." Again the fox gave his chin a scratch. What Fluffy had failed to mention, however, was that he had had no trouble at all understanding the young toons he spent time with down at Oak Creek Park, but then again, youths, especially animal toons, don't need to confuse their thoughts with words. A simple wave, a pet, or a smile was all that was needed to convey a message, and Fluffy could certainly understand a smile.   
"Well, maybe this will help," Andy spoke up after a pause. he held out his left paw in front of him, palm open. It began to crackle and glow with energy as a white ball of light formed in it. Fluffy watched the strange light intently, as if expecting it to suddenly lash out and bounce wildly around the room. He had learned about Andy's abilities since coming to live with him, but even though he knew the fox would never use them to hurt him, Fluffy couldn't help being a rabbit.   
A second later the glow vanished from Andy's paw and was replaced by a small pendant.   
"I've been working on this for you," he said, showing the small item to Fluffy. It contained two green stones and two white ones. The stones had been cut into triangles and arranged to form the shape of a diamond. They were set in a simple gold setting.   
"What is it?" Fluffy asked, wrinkling his nose at the object.   
"Something to help you communicate," Andy answered. "With it, you will be able to understand English as if it were Rabbit. And, It will also make what you say in Rabbit understandable for others who don't speak it."   
Fluffy scowled. "That little thing will do all that?"   
Andy nodded. Fluffy looked hard at the fox, trying to decide if he was worth believing.   
"Just place it against your fur," Andy went on, seeming to ignore Fluffy's skepticism. "It will stay on until you pull it off."   
Fluffy remained silent, his eyes focusing on the pendent in the fox's paw. Andy and Fluffy sat quietly on the couch, reading the other's expression.   
All animals, including toon animals, are capable of a great deal of communication through silent means of body language and unconscious gestures. Andy had used it with Fluffy back on that warm autumn night when he had given the rabbit the power of flight. It allowed the two to sit quietly and enjoy each other's company: sharing their feelings and thoughts with each other without uttering a single word.   
Andy sensed Fluffy's thoughts in the rabbit's twitching whiskers as he sat next to him on the couch. The rabbit's dark brown eyes looked back at him, then away. Andy laid his right paw on Fluffy's flank. He patted him reassuringly. "I know how you feel, but it's perfectly safe," he said in a low voice. "It's your choice, my friend."   
After a pause, Fluffy came to a decision on his pondering. "I'd like to try it," he said, his voice still hinting a bit of disbelief.   
Andy passed the pendant to Fluffy. The rabbit examined it briefly, then gently placed it on his chest. The pendent shimmered slightly as it affixed itself to his fur. Fluffy removed his paw. The pendent remained attached.   
"Now what?" The rabbit said in a deep, sonorous and warm voice that filled the room with resonance--a voice that, until that moment, had only been heard by those who were fluent in the Lapine language.   
Andy smiled to himself at hearing Fluffy's voice. He picked up the television remote and flipped to a random channel. It was showing an old science fiction movie Andy didn't recognize. Fluffy's ears twitched and he turned to the screen:   
"I couldn't fight them," a man was saying to another. "There were too many."   
"What happened to Stevens?" asked the second man.   
"He stayed to keep watch over the invaders' camp."   
Fluffy stared in astonishment at the television, his mouth gaping open as the dialog came to him crisp and clear.   
"We'll need to get over to the river," said a third man.   
"Take Jenkins with you. We've got to find their weakness."   
"Yes, Sir."   
The corners of Fluffy's mouth turned upwards and formed a smile. He began to chuckle, then laugh with triumph.   
"Ha, ha!" he rumbled joyfully. "It's like they are all speaking in Rabbit!" Fluffy turned and looked excitedly at Andy. "Do you hear them? It's wonderful!"   
"Quite," Andy said.   
"Oh, don't be so dang smug you fox," Fluffy scoffed, playfully kicking Andy with a hind foot. "This is amazing!"   
Fluffy turned back to the television. The movie had been temporarily abandoned for a commercial advertising new "bargain-priced" real estate that had just recently become available along The San Andreas Fault line. Fluffy watched it intently. "Wow."   
"It's just a commercial," Andy shrugged. He stood up and walked over to stand next to Fluffy at the end of the couch. Fluffy continued to listen, then began to scowl a bit.   
He turned to Andy. "What is 'mortgage'?"   
"A way of paying for something," Andy answered.   
Fluffy looked confused. "I didn't understand some of the words in that commercial. Are you sure this thing is working?"   
Andy sighed. "It's working fine," he said dryly. "The pendent only translates, Fluffy. It doesn't do any more." The fox reached over and laid a gentle paw on the rabbit. "There are some words that just don't translate between English and Rabbit--things that just don't belong in a rabbit's world--and shouldn't really I suppose," he added, more to himself than to Fluffy. "But," he finished, "I don't think you need to worry about any of them."   
He heard Fluffy give a small sigh, but it wasn't a sigh of disappointment. The rabbit had been given an unexpected ability. His world had just become much more grand and intricate. Andy only hoped that the rabbit would not lose touch with his own Lapine ways and hemisphere of thinking, now that he would be able to communicate outside of that world.   
Over the years Andy had seen toons too often casting aside their own natural traits and turning into nothing more than humans in animal costumes-- driving cars and sitting at desks from nine to five with the occasional coffee break; ghosts of their true selves, he thought. He had seen it happen, and he hated it.   
To Andy, animal toons were given great gifts of animal bodies and minds, and that those species traits should be respected and cherished. This included himself, and he had vowed he would to live up to his own gift and be the best fox he could be. It was for that reason that he had chosen the large piece of property containing woods and field that he now lived on. It was filled with simple animal toons with whom he had enjoyed many hours of company: rabbits, mice, raccoons, robins, tree snakes, voles, weasels, and even foxes. Some animals were natural enemies with each other, some weren't, but at least in the toon world the rules of predator/prey are not always so easily dictated. If they were, he would not now be friends with a rabbit, or be in love with a squirrel.   
Lately, however, Andy had began to wonder how much of a fox he had really been: living in a mansion rather than a den, and he did work at a desk, sometimes from nine to five. Though he was unaware of it, Fluffy's presence had begun to stir up some very old feelings in him--feelings that he hadn't thought of in a long time.   
  
"I'll leave you to get use it," Andy said. He patted Fluffy and walked over to the door. "Whenever you have had enough of English, just take the pendent off." He continued, sounding just a bit morose. "Sometimes words can be a terrible distraction to one's true self, Fluffy. There's nothing wrong with speaking only Rabbit. Please, don't ever forget what you are--so many toons do."   
He headed out of the room. Half-way through the door he stopped and added, "Oh, and by the way, Fluffy, you _are_ a very smart animal. I don't ever want to hear you speak otherwise about yourself again."   
"Andy?" came Fluffy's hesitant voice after a pause.   
"Yes, Fluffy?"   
"Thank you."   
The rabbit looked back at Andy in a way that said that he had understood the fox's concerns exactly.   
Andy smiled. "I'll be downstairs," he called as he disappeared down the hall, leaving Fluffy to his privacy. 


	2. Preparation And Apprehension

CHAPTER 2: Preparation And Apprehension

  
A small alarm clock rang noisily as half-past seven arrived, causing a previously slumbering form to awaken with a start and fumble blindly for the annoying piece of clockwork.   
Yawning excessively, Buster silenced the clock and stumbled out of bed, scratching his fur and muttering. It was a morning like any other for the rabbit, but a hint of cheer suddenly perked up his sleepy expression as he remembered that there was only one week left of classes at Acme Looniversity. Next Friday the Tiny Toons and everyone else in their class would finally graduate from the Loo and begin their lives outside of school. This thought made Buster smile as he looked at himself in a mirror while combing his fur: One week and they would be done.   
Ten minutes later, Babs was standing outside of Buster's burrow calling down to him: "Buster! You ready yet?"   
"In a minute, Babs."   
Buster hastily threw together a quick, carrot-laden lunch and dashed out to join Babs.   
  
"So do you know what the deal is with today's classes?" Babs asked as the two rabbits made their way through Acme Forest.   
Buster shrugged. "Haven't got a clue, Babsy. Must be something pretty important though to have a private assembly that takes up the whole afternoon."   
"I hear Andy might be there, even," Babs said, sounding a bit worried.   
"Just as long as he doesn't spring another one of those theoretical toon physics tests on us again." Buster shuddered briefly. "That thing was murder."   
"It wasn't his fault," Babs pointed out. "He was just subbing for Wile E. that day."   
"Yeah, but I think he added a few extra questions to the professor's exam anyhow."   
Babs scowled at the blue rabbit. "I donno why you're making such a big fuss--you got most of them right."   
Buster laughed nervously. "Just lucky I guess."   
The two rabbits continued on through the woods to the Looniversity. The pre-class atmosphere at the Loo, which normally consisted of students fumbling around half-asleep for their books and grumbling about the homework they didn't do, or the history exam looming before them, had been lifted in the last several weeks and replaced with higher spirits and general comradery as their graduation day approached and their classes would end.   
Buster and Babs greeted their friends cheerfully, the halls filled with happy and excited chatter in anticipation of the end of the school year. Amidst the happy chatter, however, Buster and Babs noticed that they weren't the only toons in the dark on that day's curriculum. The rest of the Tiny Toons present were muttering amongst themselves concerning the afternoon's assembly.   
"It's a test," Montana Man demanded, smacking a fist into an open palm.   
"Like, I don't remember anyone telling us about one," Shirley said as she breezed by on her way to her locker, followed by Plucky who was desperately trying to get Shirley to notice him. His pursuit was ended abruptly as he was trampled flat by a orange blur of feathers followed by a gray blur of fur.   
  
"So, what are your plans for the Summer, Fifi," Hamton asked as he stood next to the skunk's locker.   
"ah do not know," she sighed happily, "but eet will be so good to be out on our own. I have been thinking about taking a road trip around zee country to see all zee sights. One gets tired of zees same old California weather every day, no?"   
Hamton slumped into a dopey-looking stupor as Fifi passed a paw under his chin and caressed it lightly. "Maybe you want to come weeth me?" she asked, batting her eyes at him and making Hamton's tongue loll out onto the floor. Fifi slammed her locker door shut, knocking the pig out of his hypnotic trance. "Sure, Fifi," he said, coming to attention. "I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind."   
"Aw," Fifi said, brushing her tail past him. "You are zee sweet piggy." Hamton nodded blankly, transfixed by the shapely purple skunk.   
"See you at lunch," she called, disappearing down the hall, leaving the pig still in a state of immobile happiness by her locker.   
  
Buster and Babs made their way through the throngs of toons to their lockers and retrieved their books. Slamming his locker door shut, Buster was greeted by Plucky.   
"Did you rabbits hear?" the duck announced proudly, throwing his chest feathers out in proud display. "They're going to give me the Achievement of Excellence award today. That's what this big secret assembly is about!"   
Buster and Babs turned and looked dryly at each other. As if on cue, they simultaneously burst out in roaring laughter.   
"Yeah, right, Plucky!" Buster sputtered through his laughter.   
"Award for biggest ego, maybe," Babs added, snickering.   
"Humph," Plucky said, snubbing the two rabbits and walking off with his head held high.   
Still snickering between themselves, the rabbits headed off to their first class. 


	3. Quiet Unrest

CHAPTER 3: Quiet Unrest

  
"So where've you been all morning?" Slappy demanded loosely. "Your breakfast was getting cold."   
"Sorry, hon," came an apologetic reply.   
Andy emerged from the house to join Slappy on the back patio which connected to the kitchen where Slappy had spent the morning making breakfast. She was now sitting in a cushioned deck chair next to a small white table, looking very relaxed and at ease. She peered at the fox over the edge of a book she was reading, titled: "The Joy Of Explosives".   
Andy bent down and kissed her softly before seating himself at the table. Before him was a plate full of food: eggs, toast, fried potatoes, all neatly arranged and prepared by someone who took great pride in her work. To the side was a bowl of honey dew melon pieces.   
"Eat," came the squirrel's stunted command from behind the book.   
"Yes, Ma'am," Andy smiled, and loaded a fork full of food.   
After downing several mouthfuls of the scrumptious meal, the fox paused and stole a loving glance at the squirrel across from him. Slappy pretended not to notice, and hid her smile with her book.   
"You'll make a vegetarian out of me yet," Andy commented slyly, enjoying his breakfast.   
"Heh!" Slappy laughed. "And I'll win the award for 'Most Non-violent Cartoon Short', heh ha. But thanks anyway."   
The fox laughed and munched on a piece of melon. "Well, thank you for putting up with me then."   
Slappy lowered her book briefly to eye Andy. "If you can bear to love an old, cranky squirrel, I can put up with the diet of a carnivore, heh ha."   
Andy smiled lovingly back at her before returning to his breakfast.   
"Well?" Slappy spoke up after a few minutes. "I'm still waiting for an answer."   
Andy looked up, caught off-guard. Then, remembering that he had never answered her question, he sighed.   
"Oh," Andy said, clumsily clearing his throat. "I was, um... creating irony." He poked at the nut bread toast on his plate--one of Slappy's specialties. He suddenly had an overwhelming desire to change the subject. "So it _is_ gone, then?" he asked.   
Slappy nodded. It had taken nearly three months for the psychic and cosmic powers that she had inadvertently received from Andy when they bonded to fade and disappear. "I haven't been able to read your mind for over a week," she commented.   
"And the powers?"   
Slappy shrugged and pointed a finger at him. After a silent few seconds of nothing happening, she sighed and lowered it.   
"You aren't sad about it, are you, Slappy?" he asked, taking her hand in his and holding it tenderly.   
"Naw," Slappy smiled. "It wasn't mine to have anyhow. Nope," she smiled, matter-of-factly, "it's back where it belongs: in the fox I love. Heh ha."   
  
Half way across the yard in a large oak tree, two chipmunks were quarreling noisily over an acorn. The squabbling soon ended however, as a third chipmunk, larger than the other two, appeared. She seized the nut and chattered angrily to the other two. Then all three scampered down the trunk of the tree. Andy watched the trio as they crossed the yard and disappeared into the woods beyond.   
"Slappy," Andy began, sounding distant, "did you ever take the Toon Animal Heritage ritual?"   
Slappy reached for her coffee and glanced oddly at the fox. "My mother did," she said after taking a sip. "I haven't."   
"How did it turn out?"   
Slappy replaced her coffee and went back to her reading. "She was able to climb through the trees about a hundred times better afterwards."   
Andy made a contemplative sound. Slappy's eyes briefly regarded his expression over the edge of her book. She had noticed that her fox seemed to be rather preoccupied lately. He had been more reserved and contemplative than usual, as if dogged by something he didn't want to face, or something he had been hiding from. She also noticed that whatever it was that was bothering the fox, it seemed to be especially strong that morning.   
She gave Andy another look, and saw that his gaze had returned to the yard and the woods beyond. Her eyes disappeared behind the book once again.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
Skippy Squirrel eyed the dart board in front of him with vicious determination. His concentration was locked fully upon it as he carefully aimed his dart. He was about to make a perfect bulls-eye for the third time in a row--a new record--when his concentration was abruptly intruded upon by a voice coming from behind him.   
"Hello, lad."   
Skippy spun around quickly and nearly lost his balance. Standing directly behind him was Fluffy. The squirrel's jaw went slack, the dart in his paw fell noisily to the floor.   
From inside the house came the sudden gleeful screams of a young squirrel, followed almost immediately by unchecked laugher. "He can talk! He can talk!" Out on the deck, in the bright daylight of a warm, summer morning, Slappy eyed the house, then scowled at Andy.   
"What did you do now?"   
"Me?" Andy asked innocently. 


	4. The Acquisition

CHAPTER 4: The Acquisition

  
The sudden outpouring of 60's rock 'N' roll music from a clock/radio brought Arthur Trenton out of his sleep with a start. His thoughts scrambled about like ants as he tried to get his bearings. Half-remembered fragments of voices and images danced around in the human's head, slowly ebbing away as the music from the radio persisted, insisting that it was more important than any other memories. Such was the situation on many a morning.   
Arthur was a twitchy brown-haired man in his thirties who always seemed to be looking over his shoulder at something behind him. He lived alone in a small house in a quiet suburb of Kansas City where the winters were tolerable and the people were friendly enough, so long as they weren't after him.   
Stricken with a perpetual case of paranoia, however, turned out to be a positive trait for his current line of work. Arthur spent his days at a local high school as its computer network administrator. His primary duties consisted of keeping all the kids who fancied themselves as the future hackers and geniuses of the world from ravaging the school's private files, while at the same time making sure they were free to pursue their own interests using the network to perform their academic work and to access the internet. He did this job extremely well, and he enjoyed the simple freedoms the job offered. He had also established a warm rapport with many of the gifted students, and had earned a unique admiration from the ones who tried to challenge his network's security. He was the great challenge to overcome-- the ultimate test of their abilities. Fortunately, their abilities fell far short of anything that Arthur needed to worry about.   
Arthur was also an avid cartoon fan. His office proper was far from intimidating to the students compared to those of the rest of the faculty. In fact it was downright welcoming and was in danger of breaking the strict rules of conformity as a place where students actually enjoyed being in while at school. It was littered with numerous cartoon character figures and paraphernalia. A Looney Tunes calendar hung on one of his walls next to several framed pictures of cartoon characters printed off of the art department's color printer. A small community of beanbag plushes sat atop his computer monitor, and a large stuffed coyote stood guard next to the door to keep out the rabble.   
In his off hours, when he wasn't doing laundry or vacuuming, Arthur could be found either watching cartoons, discussing cartoons with other fans via the internet, or drinking massive quantities of scotch so see if it made some cartoons more funny. Arthur also dabbled in writing fan stories about various cartoon characters, posting his works to an internet group for review and his own enjoyment.   
Beyond these outward activities, however, there was more to Arthur Trenton than most knew, and am ever-present cloud, a haze of disconnected thoughts and images beyond the simple wold around him, followed Arthur wherever he went.   
  
It was on one evening, as Arthur was busy comparing and contrasting the differences between Little John in Disney's Robin Hood and Baloo from Disney's The Jungle Book to an online internet chat group, when his doorbell sounded.   
Three men in black suits stood outside his door. They were dressed identically with white shirts and subdued-colored ties. Behind them was a large van parked along the road. One of the men produced a small wallet of identification as he addressed Arthur.   
"Arthur Trenton?"   
A severe case of paralysis began to set in on Arthur, except for his left hand which began to fumble uselessly in the air, trying to find something to do with itself. "Yes?"   
"My name is Phillip Sandal, NSA. Please come with us."   
The man's voice was firm, but not hostile. The two others behind him stood silently, and Arthur wondered if they were their for intimidation alone.   
Arthur's left hand found the doorframe and grasped it tightly, happy to have found a temporary home for itself. He leaned forward and squinted at the man's displayed identification, but was unable to make it out.   
"Ahhhh... who are you?" he asked. "What is this?"   
Phillip pocketed his credentials. "We've with a special division of the NSA that caters to unique situations. I been ordered to acquire you and bring you with us."   
"This is nuts," Arthur muttered, backing away slightly.   
"I assure you, Mr. Trenton. This is quite real. You aren't in any trouble. We only require your presence, and possible assistance. These men are here for your protection."   
"My protection?" Arthur repeated. Part of him wanted to laugh at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. The other half wanted to run in fear. He split the difference and did neither, standing in simple disbelief.   
"Please come with us and everything will be explained," Phillip repeated.   
  
Arthur's paralysis was slowly replaced by an odd sense of exhilaration as he climbed into the van. Phillip and the other two men followed, locking the doors.   
One of the men began to occupy himself by fiddling with a piece of electronic equipment that looked like it had been assembled in the back room of a Radio Shack. He held out a long black wand attached to the device in Arthur's direction and fiddled with a dial. Odd little lights flashed on and off from within the device's innards as the man examined the data it produced. After several seconds he nodded smartly to Phillip.   
"Let's go," Phillip called to the van's driver. The van came to life and rolled away down the street.   
"Do not be nervous, Mr. Trenton," Phillip said calmly. "As I said, you are not in any trouble. Think of this as... an unexpected vacation. Your presence is currently required elsewhere."   
Arthur's voice came out quick and panicked: "By who? For what?"   
"We were only given a general description of the person we were to acquire," Phillip continued. "We did some research. You were the closest match. And now..." Phillip cocked his head towards the man holding the electronic device, "...we're pretty sure you are the one we've been looking for."   
Arthur simply stared back, suddenly feeling at a disadvantage somehow.   
Phillip eyed Arthur closely. His voice took on an knowingly inquisitive tone. "Tell us, Arthur, How are Slappy and Fluffy doing?"   
Arthur froze. He began to break out in a cold sweat. That and his stunned silence at Phillip's question was enough of an answer. Phillip turned and nodded to the rest of the men in the van.   
"Just relax," he said, turning back to Arthur. "There are some... people who would like to meet you." He emphasized the word "people." 


	5. Cause For Concern

CHAPTER 5: Cause For Concern

  
"Coyote!" Andy smiled wide as he opened his front door. "What a surprise! Good to see you."   
"And you," Wile E. said cordially. He stepped inside and hugged the fox warmly, then nodded to Slappy. "Mrs. Squirrel."   
"Oh, please," Slappy groaned. "Since when did you become all formal, Mr. Flea Bag?" The two shook paws and hugged.   
"This guy hasn't been giving you any trouble now, has he?" Wile E. asked Slappy jokingly. Andy folded his arms and smirked.   
"Who, him?" Slappy asked, gesturing to Andy as if he were some new appliance. "Nah. I got him under control. Heh ha."   
"Yes," Wile E. nodded. "So I've seen." He turned to Andy and eyed him mischievously. "How's your back?"   
"Okay, okay," Andy grumbled, wrapping an arm around the coyote and leading him into the parlor. A blur of brown fur nearly trampled them as Skippy ran past and out the front door.   
"Bye, Aunt Slappy! Bye, Unc!" he called, disappearing outside, obviously late for school.   
Andy batted a paw at the smoke trail left by the young squirrel. "Well you see how it is around here. How are things with you?"   
"Oh, nominal," the coyote shrugged.   
The parlor's large windows caught the angled rays of the morning sun, making the contents of the room glow in an inviting sort of way. The fox and coyote made themselves comfortable in two of the room's plush red armchairs while Slappy wandered off. She returned a few minutes later with a glass of iced tea for the coyote.   
"Ah," Wile E. remarked appreciatively. He thanked the squirrel.   
Andy eyed Slappy sternly. "But you said it..."   
"It is," Slappy snapped back. "But I still got a good memory, and besides, his throat sounded raspy."   
The far end of the parlor ended in a breakfast bar that connected with the kitchen. Slappy seated herself at one of the stools and busied herself sorting through a large, neglected stack of mail.   
"What was that all about?" asked the coyote, cocking a thumb in Slappy's direction.   
"Oh, nothing," Andy said, brushing the topic under the southwest-style rug lying on the floor between them. "It's about time you came by, Coyote. I've been meaning to talk to you about someone."   
"Oh?" Wile E. raised a bushy eyebrow. "And what pray-tell would that be, my vulpine friend?"   
At that moment, Fluffy appeared in the doorway and casually hopped into the parlor.   
"Ah," Wile E. spoke up brightly at seeing Fluffy, "so this is the fellow who's been filling your thoughts of late."   
Fluffy turned at hearing the new voice. Seeing the coyote he started and sat up on his haunches.   
"Crimany!" he gasped. "A 'yote!"   
Andy broke into a snicker. Wile E. was taken aback and looked a bit helpless at the accusation.   
"Fluffy," Andy called. "I'd like you to meet my friend and brother, Wile E. Coyote."   
Fluffy nervously twitched his whiskers a few times, "Brother," he scowled. "That?"   
Andy nodded and winked at the rabbit. Fluffy snorted. He resumed his calm air and continued into the room. "It figures," he said, hopping over to a table holding a bowl full of carrots. He helped himself to one of the brightly colored vegetables. "Coyotes, foxes... it's a wonder I'm alive at all with all you carnivores around here. I suppose there'll be weasels around here next."   
"So he does talk," Wile E. observed dryly, still a bit shaken from the rabbit's comments.   
"Humph," Fluffy grumbled smugly. Finishing the carrot he nabbed a large sprig of parsley and lollopped over to a window with it. "Indeed."   
"Strong-minded, too," Wile E. added. "I see why you get along so well with him."   
"Yes," Andy smiled. "He is. As for the talking, well..." Andy directed the coyote's gaze to the pendent on Fluffy's chest. "Not really."   
"Ah," Wile E. said, waving a paw. "Intelligent creature none the less."   
"So," Andy began, "what brings you here, Coyote?"   
Wile E. gave an odd grumble and took a sip of his iced tea. "You."   
"Me?"   
The coyote nodded. "We're all set up at the Loo for the Tiny Toons' animal heritage assembly this afternoon."   
The fox sighed. "Yes. It's finally come."   
Wile E. shrugged. "I don't think there's anything to worry about."   
"No," Andy agreed, decisively. The fox seemed to lose himself in thought briefly. He gazed up into space and scratched his ear. "You didn't come over here just to tell me that, did you?" he asked.   
"And what's wrong with a coyote wanting to visit with his best friend?" Wile E. accused.   
Andy half-shrugged and smiled. A hint of concern flashed through his thoughts from the coyote like a single drop of rain in a summer shower, and was just as quickly dismissed as the coyote's thoughts were distracted by a large rabbit brushing by his chair.   
His morning snack complete, Fluffy quietly walked over and sat on his haunches next to Andy's chair.   
"There is something," Wile E. admitted, watching the rabbit intently. "Tell me, do you know where Pinky and The Brain are?"   
Andy shrugged again. "In their cage?" he offered jokingly.   
The coyote shook his head. "Try again."   
"Involved in an intricate plan to take over the world, then?"   
"Strike two. Would you like to try for three?"   
"What am I, my mouse's keeper? How about Elmyra Duff's house? I understand they grew quite fond of life there."   
Wile E. let out a small chuckle. "Nope. Last seen they checked into lab room 3 at Tetra Dimensional to use the electromagnetic phase inverter. They never checked out and no one's seen them since. That was four days ago."   
"Odd," was all Andy had to say, unconsciously reaching an arm over and resting it across Fluffy's back. His fingers petted the rabbit's side. "I'm sure they'll turn up," he said casually.   
"All the same, people are starting to wonder. It's not like The Brain to leave lab equipment running or not check out. Can you check to see where they went?"   
"Anything for my fellow scientists."   
Andy closed his eyes and remained silent for several seconds. Slowly his standard smirk turned into a scowl. After a pause he opened his eyes and looked in confusion at the coyote across from him. "Strange--I don't sense them anywhere in the area." He fell silent again for another second or two before adding, "or the planet, for that matter."   
"Oh, great," muttered the coyote, pawing the arm of his chair in frustration. He stared at his glass of iced tea accusingly. "If those two got themselves lost somewhere there'll be heck to pay with Warners."   
Andy continued to scowl thoughtfully as he pondered over the situation. His fingers unconsciously traced their way along the edge of Fluffy's saddle where smooth thin leather met plush fur. Wile E. eyed the fox's movements and smiled to himself.   
Andy spoke up again. "Maybe you should check the sensor log records for the lab--see what you can find." He waved a paw. "I'm sure they're around somewhere. Maybe they are on Planet X or W or something. We'll find them, though it will make the labs quieter for a while without those two trouble- makers."   
The coyote nodded in agreement. He stood up, preparing to go. "Come by this afternoon when you're done at the Loo. I should have something by then."   
"Can do."   
"So tell me one thing, Fox," Wile E. added, cautiously walking up to Fluffy and eyeing him uncertainly, "Why a rabbit of all things? What was it about, em... Fluffy here... that he ended up here with you? Why not a horse?"   
"I find rabbits infinitely more preferable to be with." Andy said quietly, standing and walking over to where Slappy was sitting. The corners of Fluffy's mouth lifted into a smug smirk of confidence as he returned Wile E.'s gaze, causing the coyote to feel even more unsettled by the creature, as if Fluffy knew something he didn't.   
"Indeed," muttered Wile E. "And ride as well?"   
"Naturally," Andy answered, as if the answer was completely obvious.   
Wile E. gave a small mutter of contemplation, laying a paw on the rabbit's side cautiously. He tried to sound friendly and patted Fluffy's saddle, "Well, as long as I'm here, do you think I might..."   
"No you may not," Fluffy quickly answered back, turning at the coyote. "You're much to scruffy a character for my tastes."   
Wile E. was again taken aback. Andy covered his face and stifled a snicker. The coyote dropped his paw and slunk away from Fluffy. "Well, I..." he protested. He looked over to Andy for help, but the fox only smiled and shrugged innocently. "Like you said: he's strong-minded."   
"Sorry I asked," Wile E. grumbled, and turned away from the rabbit.   
He hadn't taken more than two steps away when Fluffy suddenly turned and came up behind Wile E. Lowering his head he butted it into the coyote, knocking him off his feet. The surprised coyote fell helplessly backwards onto Fluffy's back.   
Fluffy tossed his head and grinned smugly back at the coyote. "Some genius," he scoffed, still with his smug air. "Can't even tell when a rabbit is tricking you, eh?"   
"What?" Wile E. glanced at Andy in surprise, partly from suddenly finding himself astride the giant rabbit, and partly from the cutting down the rabbit had given him.   
Andy snickered. "He, um..." The fox smiled innocently. "I'm not getting into this."   
Wile E.'s long legs dangled comically as he straddled the rabbit. After a moment or two he relaxed slightly, carefully resting his paws on Fluffy's collar. He felt the rabbit's pulse through his warm fur.   
Fluffy strolled nonchalantly out of the parlor and around the foyer while the coyote laughed quietly, experiencing the unique joy of riding a toon carousel animal. Fluffy serpentized his way around the foyer to the front door, giving his passenger the fifty-cent tour as he meandered around. Andy and Slappy emerged a short time later from the parlor and joined the pair.   
"A living toon carousel animal," Wile E. commented to his partner in science. "Fascinating."   
"Eh," Andy yawned, "no more so than a toon pencil or a toon cloud."   
"Still," Wile E. said, becoming braver and releasing a paw from Fluffy's collar, "I see the appeal: a very talented and noble creature."   
"Thank you," Fluffy said pleasantly, looking back and smiling at him.   
Wile E.'s attention shifted from Fluffy to Andy and Slappy as he noticed the pair standing side-by-side. Both toons still exhibited that unique glow that envelops all new couples as the joy of love floods their thoughts and emotions. Andy and Slappy had theirs in spades; they had enough glow between them to keep Las Vegas lit for a decade.   
"It's good to see you like this, Fox," Wile E. commented, suddenly quite sincere. "It's good to see a family in this house."   
Andy nodded. "It's finally more than a house, Coyote. It's become a home."   
"Complete with family pet," Wile E. added, looking down at Fluffy.   
Two seconds later a loud crash shook the room as it acquired a new furry brown wall decoration, discharged forcefully from Fluffy's back.   
"Smooth," Slappy said dryly.   
"Mmmurf," the furry spot on the wall mumbled. "it was just a joke."   
Andy calmly peeled Wile E. from the wall and wrung him out like a second- hand throw rug. A small cloud of dust escaped from the coyote's mouth as he popped back into shape. Back on his own two feet and somewhat shaky legs, he eyed Fluffy with a mixture of apology and genuine surprise. Fluffy returned his look with one of pure innocence.   
Toon familiarization protocols complete, and the two genuinely acquainted, Fluffy and Wile E. shook paws warmly.   
"Thank you," Wile E. said appreciatively.   
"Anytime, my friend," the rabbit retorted.   
Wile E. turned for the door. "This afternoon then," he reminded Andy. Then he waved and headed out the door and down the front walk.   
"Nice fellow," remarked Fluffy to Andy. "A bit stuffy though."   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
The first thought that popped into Arthur's head at hearing Phillip's startling question was that these men were here to throw him against a wall for writing stories about licensed cartoon characters. He wondered if someone in the fan fiction community had been a spy for this unnamed "someone" who had requested his presence. Horrid waves of paranoia flooded his thoughts. Arthur's eyes darted around the inside of the van at the other two men, then out the windows to the view beyond. After several tense minutes, the van turned in to a small city airport some miles from Arthur's house. There, he was escorted onto a medium-sized jet with the men.   
On the jet, Phillip kept an eye on Arthur the whole time. At first Arthur thought Phillip was waiting for him to make some kind of break for it, but as time went on it seemed more as if Phillip was watching him for a different reason, like he expected something to happen and didn't want to miss it. Arthur almost felt sorry to disappoint him as he sat quietly and tried to hide his nervousness by paging through a magazine that he had been given to pass the time.   
Outside the jet, the sun's orange glow faded into pink as it disappeared into the western sky, its decent put into slow motion by the jet's westward progression.   
  
  
To Be Continued... 


	6. Part II: The Toons Assemble

CHAPTER 6: The Toons Assemble

  
The Acme Looniversity P.A. system crackled to life for the noontime daily announcements to the students: "Hello everybody, and welcome to your May 26th announcements. This is the last week for students to turn in their applications for next year's priority enrollment classes. Forms are to be dropped off in the drop box outside the administration office."   
Normally Wile E.'s voice would be echoing though the halls and classrooms with the day's tidbits, but due to an urgent matter of science, the coyote had been called away. So, on that day, everyone's ears were treated to a new voice--that of a certain fox. "Final exam grades for the Literature and Art departments are now posted on the bulletin boards. Ah, let's see." The voice stalled briefly while the rustling of paper sounded. "Ah. Will the toon who wrote 'Down with Disney' on the south wall of the library please report to Bugs Bunny's office after lunch."   
"So Andy _is_ here," Buster whispered to Babs, recognizing the voice on the intercom. Babs nodded back and shrugged. The two rabbits sat attentively in Foghorn's Advanced Biology class along with about twenty other students. Foghorn himself sat slouched at his deck, an elbow resting on the desktop and cheek resting on hand. He made lazy circles in the air with his free hand, waiting impatiently for the announcements to end.   
"Maybe he eez here to tell ous zat our show eez back een production," Fifi whispered to Buster and Babs.   
"Ya think?" Babs asked, perking up slightly.   
"Yeah, right," came Buster's sarcastic reply.   
"Well you're a kill-joy," Babs scoffed.   
Elmyra sat doodling a picture at her desk. "Maybe the cute cuddly foxy- woxy is just here to see the cute doggy-head dean," she spoke up, displaying a surprisingly well-drawn rendering of the fox to her neighbors.   
"I'd be happy if he's here to tell us we get to graduate a week early," Plucky quipped. "These final exams are killing... hey, not a bad picture, Elmyra."   
The announcements continued to drone on with the normal type of news: upcoming school events, football practice reschedulings, and a message of an unclaimed mallet and four sticks of dynamite that had been turned into Lost & Found. There was a brief pause before the final announcement: "Attention all Tiny Toons. This is a reminder that afternoon classes have been suspended and that you are to assemble in room 301 at 1:30." Andy concluded the announcements with the traditional scripted farewell message, wishing the students a good day and happy anviling, before switching the microphone off.   
The fox gave a sigh of relief and tilted back in Wile E.'s office chair. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore his nervousness and prepare himself for the afternoon's events.   
  
Ninety minutes later Andy opened the door to room 301 and was greeted with the ruckus babbling of over a dozen toons, all talking at once to each other. It was the complete Tiny Toons group: Buster and Babs, Plucky and Shirley, Furrball, Calamity, Elmyra, and a dozen more, all present and accounted for. It was an entire generation in one room, a rare and wonderful sight to behold.   
The chattering died to a quiet murmur as Andy entered the room followed by several of the Looney Tunes. Babs spotted Andy and leapt up, pointing a finger at him. "Hey, everybody, look! It's our agent who hasn't gotten us any work in six years!"   
Andy coughed awkwardly and eyed the pink rabbit. Behind him, Bugs covered his face with a hand to hide a smile. Andy nodded and gave a toothy grin to Babs as he walked past her, motioning for her to return to her seat. Babs grinned back nervously and sat back down, giving the fox her honest attention. Andy walked to stand in front of the class, his presence commanding a gentle but required authority as he began the lecture.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
"Well, this isn't good," Wile E. commented. He and several other scientists were examining Lab Room 3 at Tetra Dimensional, the last known location of Pinky & The Brain. Aside from a few scraps of paper containing some scribbled notes and formulas written by The Brain, and a child-like drawing of a horse drawn by Pinky, the only evidence as to their location resided in the electronic readouts that Wile E. and the rest of the scientists were now studying.   
"This matter transducer has been fed a complex matter/energy adjustment matrix," an orange cat commented to Wile E. "Looks like it might have been unstable," she added thoughtfully.   
"Run a hardcopy of it and all other data you can find," Wile E. directed.   
Ed Puma, Tetra Dimensional's lead scientist in the field of multi- dimensional physics, was making his way slowly around the room holding a small measuring device, while a portly alligator sat at computer terminal running a diagnostics test on the equipment. Ed's device began to beep and blip noisily as he held it over the dais in the center of the room. "Definitely evidence of a dimensional disturbance here," he commented. "Eeeeah, Whatever those two mice did, I don't think it was quite what they had in mind."   
"How the heck did that mouse cause a dimensional disturbance with a matter transducer?" asked the alligator, scratching his head. "It just isn't possible."   
Ed waggled a finger at him. "For shame!" he scorned. "Nothing is impossible for toons! Have you forgotten your basic science lessons, Dennis?"   
The alligator shrugged and smiled meekly. "Well, I didn't mean..."   
"Not impossible," Wile E. agreed, punching some buttons on a large, intimidating piece of equipment, "but not easy either." He began to chuckle. "Actually I'm a little impressed. Frankly I didn't think the little rodent had it in him."   
The orange cat handed Wile E. a printout she had just run. "This is from the data tracking station."   
Wile E. scowled at the printout. "I hate trans-dimensional mechanics," he muttered, the numbers on the paper swimming into a jumble of squiggles before his eyes. "C'mon, Samantha. Let's you and I try to figure this out. Ed, why don't you join us with this when you're done here."   
"Eeeeah, no problem, Wile E," Ed commented, engrossed in his instrument's readings.   
Wile E. shrugged at the puma and left with Samantha to ponder over the data they had gathered. 


	7. Andy's Lecture

CHAPTER 7: Andy's Lecture

  
"This is not a test."   
Andy's deep voice silenced any remaining chattering between the assembled Tiny Toons, who were now sitting quietly in the classroom as Andy stood at the front and addressed them. Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Sylvester, and several other Looney Tunes stood off to the side, apparently lost in contemplation of something the Tiny Toons were not aware of. "Contrary to what you may have heard," Andy added, "nothing here will affect your graduation."   
Among the gathered rabbits, rodents, fowl, and feline were three human toons, sitting attentively with the rest of their class. Andy singled them out. "Montana, Elmyra, Mary--would you three please go with Bugs?"   
The named toons looked about in confusion, exchanging apprehensive glances with each other and the rest of the class.   
"Don't worry, kids," Bugs said, gesturing for them to stand up. "You ain't in any trouble. Just come with me. It's all part of the schedule."   
After Bugs and the trio had left, Andy shut the door and addressed the remaining toons, his voice carrying on odd tinge of nostalgia.   
"You Tiny Toons are a wonderful and new presence to the world of animal toons. You are the next generation of Looney Tunes, sharing all of the wonderful traits of the old masters."   
Andy gestured to the Looney Tunes present as he spoke. Sylvester nudged Porky and mumbled, "Did he just call us 'old'?" Both toons snickered briefly.   
"You are also all animals," Andy continued, "and it is that fact that has brought us together today. Montana, Elmyra, and Mary--they are all wonderful toons, but what I have to say today is not for them. This afternoon is for you toons alone."   
Buster cautiously raised his hand and spoke up, "So what did you do with them?"   
Andy leaned against the front of the desk. "Study hall," he answered, not wanting to tell the Tiny Toons that they had been given the afternoon off. At that moment the classroom door opened as Bugs returned alone.   
"Before you can pass on from the Looniversity and its halls of learning," Andy continued, "one final piece of knowledge needs to be passed on. Now, you all are certainly loony, loveable nuts, and worthy of your Looney Tunes heritage, but there is also another side to you--the animal side. Now you may not think being a toon animal is anything special. You may not even give your species a second thought during your daily life, but you should be aware of it, as it can help and guide you when you least expect it."   
A few of the tiny toons began nudging each other and snickering.   
"Who's he callin' an animal?"   
"You, long-ears!"   
"Grrrowl!"   
"RRrrrRRoowl!"   
"Like, Quiet, you guys!"   
Andy smiled and waited for the joking and small explosion of guttural animal noises to die down. He was glad the toons were in such lively spirits. "my point exactly," he said, nodding to Calamity and Furrball, who were bearing their teeth at each other menacingly and growling in mock anger. "There is nothing wrong with being who you are, and more importantly, _what_ you are." Calamity and Furrball gave a final, satisfied growl to each other before returning to their normal, innocent selves.   
Andy paused and took a sip of water from a glass. He was hiding his nervousness well. Shifting his weight against the desk, he continued his speech. "Now, there is an item of toon animal heritage that many of you may not be aware of. It is the relationship between a cartoon animal and the species of Earth animal that he or she is based upon. The strength of this relationship can vary from toon to toon, from the miniscule amount in many Disney toons, to the unbreakably strong ones found in natural animal toons. No matter what it's strength, it exists in all animal toons, and all of you."   
"The relationship to your animal spirit is called 'Nel-shada' in the old animal tongue. Em... has anyone here taken Animal Dialect or Toon Language class?"   
Two hands went up: Shirley's and Sneezer's. The fox nodded to Shirley. "Like, I took two semesters of Toon Language Studies," she explained. "Doesn't 'Nel-shada' mean, like... 'animal friendship', er some junk?"   
"Close," Andy said, approvingly. Sneezer's hand went back up.   
Andy nodded to the tiny mouse. "Yes. Sneezer?"   
"Oh, Mr. Fox, sir, doesn't it mean 'beast kinship'? Uh huh, uh huh, yep. That's what it means."   
"Very good," Andy smiled, impressed with the little scholar. "Precisely translated it means 'beast kinship'. It refers to how much of your unconscious and conscious thoughts and actions are influenced by your animal- ness. In other words, it is how 'animal-like' you are. We scientists call it 'animal acuity index', but no matter what you choose to call it, it is with great admiration that I can tell you all that yours are all quite strong indeed. This afternoon you will all take part in a very simple, standard excercise that is used to measure this trait in you. This excersise is given to thousands of toons a year, so don't feel you've been singled out. The goal is to simply to let you experience and appreciate your animal heritage, and maybe learn a little about your species as well."   
"So it _is_ a test," Plucky moaned, his head smacking down on his desk in defeat.   
"This is an informative session, Plucky," Andy said, drilling the mallard with a hard gaze. "You will only learn as much as you want." Andy's voice grew somewhat stern. "I want you all to keep in mind one thing this afternoon: we are not here to tell you what to think or how to feel about yourselves. All we want to do is give you the opportunity to understand more about yourselves and the animals you are. It will be up to each of you to decide how to use what you learn."   
Andy took out a small piece of paper, his voice returning to a more relaxed and friendly tone. "Now, before we head over to the gym for the main session, I would like to read you all something." The toons stared intently up at Andy as he spoke, reading from the paper:   
  
"Beneath this modern world of the anvil, dynamite, cream pies and   
wild takes, lies a much older and simpler world. Here in the middle of   
Hollywood and show business, of cars and desks and time clocks, the   
more ancient ways can become clouded, lost, and forgotten. But they   
are still around us, from the ants on the sidewalk carrying away the   
crumbs from your lunch, to the pigeons at the city park. Behind the   
anvil there is the paw. Under the jokes and puns is the growl. The   
foundation of one is the pinnacle of the other. The old animal ways   
are still there, calling, if you only take the time to listen."   
  
The tiny toons sat in quiet awe as the words from the past echoed in their thoughts. "That was written over fifty years ago by a very wise and aged toon who used to live near me," Andy explained. "She wanted us to remember that there is more to being a toon than what Hollywood may tell you." He folded the paper and returned it to his fur.   
"Shall we begin?" he asked, quietly. The silent attentiveness of the Tiny Toons indicated that they were.   
  
"Okay, then," Andy said, clapping his paws together and rubbing them eagerly. Suddenly all the toons found themselves standing in the Looniversity gymnasium. The Tiny Toons glanced about in surprise at the abrupt change of scenery, but remained silent and attentive.   
The gym was dimly lit, except for the center of the floor, where the lights shown down on over a dozen small cubical-like chambers that had been assembled. Each chamber was about 7 feet by 9 feet, and totally enclosed except for a door in one wall. On each door was written the name of a particular Tiny Toon.   
As the class looked about, they were surprised to see that they had been joined by the all the rest of their Looney Tunes mentors, who had apparently been waiting in the gym for them.   
"Everybody still with me?" Andy joked, getting everyone's attention. "Okay. In a minute you will all meet with your mentors for a few minutes. Then you will each go into one of these cubicles behind me for the actual, em... lesson. There is one cubicle for each of you, Each one contains two natural toon animals of whatever species you happen to be. They are wild animals, and should be respected as such. They can frighten easily or bite, but they aren't dangerous, and you should not be frightened of them. In fact, I want you to interact with them. Try and think about the similarities between you and the toon animals you will be with. Try and imagine what they might be thinking, or what they might be trying to tell you."   
"And then what?" Plucky asked, apprehensively.   
"Then nothing, Plucky," Andy answered. "That's it."   
"So I just have to sit and play with a couple of ducks? Ha! Easy." Plucky puffed himself up importantly as he boasted. "Didn't you see me in 'Call of The Wild'? One of my better performances I think. Why don't ya think up somethin' harder next time, Prof."   
Andy scowled at Plucky. "I never said it wasn't easy, Plucky. This isn't a history final or a science test, but I guarantee to each and every one of you that when you leave this gym later, you will have learned a great deal, though you may not realize it right away."   
"Okay," Andy finished, motioning to the Looney Tunes. "Go find your mentors and we'll get started."   
The Tiny Toons broke off and paired up with their mentors, who began explaining some of the details of their related species to them.   
"Maybe you kids'll learn that havin' big rabbit feet ain't so bad."   
"Ju-a-j-j-just remember, Hamton, pigs are noble, but, ste-st-st-stubborn at times too. Just be careful."   
"Like, just don't try getting all cosmic in there, Shirl. Wild loons don't care about being aligned with your karmic center. They care about the now, and what _you_ do."   
As the toons dispersed Andy saw Calamity Coyote standing alone, nervously searching for his absent mentor. Andy signed and went over to him.   
"Hey, Calamity," Andy said, squatting down to face the small pupil. "Look-- I'm sorry Wile E. couldn't be here for you today. I saw him just this morning, though, and I know he wanted to be here for you, but a matter came up that required his attention." He patted Calamity's head gently. "You don't have to go though this without him if you don't want to. I'll understand, but um..." Andy began to smile mischievously, "I do know someone who would like very much to stand in for Wile E. and help you out, if you want to go ahead."   
Calamity held up a sign. "Who?"   
Andy turned and nodded to a figure standing in the shadows. Calamity's jaw went slack and his eyes grew to resemble giant saucers. A tall, stately toon wolf stepped forward into the light. He was covered in bushy gray fur with a pink bulb of a nose adorning a massive muzzle. The wolf towered over the small coyote and smiled warmly down at him, his eyes full of kindness.   
Calamity's tail began to wag excitedly. "Thomas!!!" he exclaimed, hastily pulling out a sign loaded with exclamation points.   
"Greetings and salutations my little adoptive prot‚g‚," said the wolf in his elegant, drawn-out dialect. "Thomas T. Wolf, always happy to be of service."   
Calamity dropped his sign and ran up to Thomas. He hugged the tall gray wolf with pleasure. Thomas smiled at Andy. "Affectionate little rascal, isn't he?" Calamity released Thomas and smiled up at him. Thomas patted him warmly and shook his paw. "Am I to comprehend that you are in positive disposition with our arrangement of professorship?"   
Calamity nodded eagerly and held up a sign. "You perceive correct, sir."   
Andy left the two toons as Thomas joined the rest of the Looney Tunes in their words of comfort and advice to the tiny toons regarding the events about to take place.   
Minutes later, each Tiny Toon was escorted to their assigned cubicle and shown inside. One by one the doors were shut, isolating each toon into their own tiny classroom.   
"You, em, know what to do?" Andy asked to two toon foxes who had been standing off to the side.   
"Of course," one of them scoffed. "One real animal from the wild, the other, a mental projection of the toon's inner self. We've done it a million times before, but what about the psychic?"   
Andy waved a paw dismissively. "I've been blocking her from using her abilities since the lecture. She shouldn't be a problem. You sure you two can evaluate this many at once?"   
"Don't worry," the other added, a vixen. "You'll have all of the results by the end of their session."   
"Okay, then," Andy nodded.   
"Ah... good luck," the vixen offered.   
"Yeah," Andy said, shakily. "Thanks."   
And so, unnoticed by the rest of the tiny toons, one more toon stepped inside the cubicles with them. He shut the door behind him, sat down, rested his chin on his hands, and waited.   
  
"One from the wild, one from the mind.   
Truth and self shall be revealed in kind." 


	8. Meeting The Animals

CHAPTER 8: Meeting The Animals

  
Buster fidgeted slightly as he sat on the stool in the small cubicle. It was completely dark inside, and even the rabbit's excellent eyesight failed to find anything to focus on in the darkness. Despite this, he could feel that he wasn't alone in the small room.   
After a minute or so of complete boredom, he was slightly startled as a small, dim light in the cubicle's ceiling lit up. In the opposite corner from him were two small rabbits. Buster watched the two animal toons as they paused and sniffed around cautiously.   
"Aw, aren't you little guys cute?" he whispered, smiling a bit.   
One of the rabbits was muddy brown, the other pure white. Both seemed rather at ease in the strange cube and took small hops as they began to explore the small area. Buster walked over and knelt down. He reached a paw out to the brown rabbit. It turned and looked up at him briefly, then returned to its exploring. When Buster's hand came into contact with it, however, it winced slightly and quickly moved away.   
"Hey, what's with you?" Buster whispered. The brown and blue rabbits scowled at each other. The white rabbit seemed to be paying no attention to the scene, and began sniffing at Buster's foot. Cautiously, Buster touched a paw to that rabbit. It continued to sniff about. Buster stroked the white rabbit's fur gently, the rabbit appearing to welcome the action.   
Buster looked back over to the brown rabbit, which was sitting a few feet away watching him. He watched the rabbit's eyes and face curiously, and tried to guess what the rabbit was thinking and why it had been upset.   
"Eee-okay," he muttered, bewildered.   
  
In another cubicle, Furrball Cat had decided to curl up in the corner and take a nap in the complete darkness. Suddenly his cube lit up and he was greeted by two other cats, not unlike a million other toon cats one might see slinking down any city alley. Furrball had an advantage over many of the other Tiny Toons in that he was very fluent in his own species' language of Toon Cat. He stood up and eyed the two new cats and gave a tiny "Meow?"   
The three cats regarded each other with equally agreeable expressions, then broke into joyful playing and frolicking, chasing and pouncing on each other like three young kittens.   
  
Shirley the Loon's eyes were greeted with the sight of two beautiful wild loons, their brown backs merging with speckled white patterns on their wings. Their alert, black heads glanced this way and that, one seeming to be much more aware and active than the other. Shirley clasped her hands together as she took in the splendor of the gorgeous birds. She eagerly took a step towards them. In an instant the more active loon extended it's wings and flapped about noisily in an instinctual attempt to distance itself from Shirley. Shirley gasped and jumped backwards. "Like, Eek!"   
She fell against the opposite wall as the loon landed back on the floor and resumed its stand. The other loon had taken no action, and was busy preening itself. Then it looked at her squarely. It waddled slowly over to her and pecked one of her bright orange webbed feet.   
"Hey! Like, Ouch!" Shirley said, retrieving her foot and glaring at the bird. The loon merely eyed her, then walked away.   
  
Hamton sat quietly on his stool as if he were still in class, hooves in his lap, when two young wild boars appeared before him. He grinned sheepishly at them. Each boar was almost twice his size, with sizable tusks. Hamton waved a timid hoof at them. "Hehe... Hi, fellas."   
The two boars grunted and rooted their snouts around the edges of the cube floor, eventually making their way to Hamton.   
"Um, read any good books lately?" he asked, shakily. The boars buffeted him softly with their snouts, apparently finding him uninteresting. As they moved away Hamton stepped off his stool. Sensing that the boars were more or less safe, and curious to learn more himself, Hamton extended a hoof and ran it along the side of one of the boars, feeling its rough, hairy side.   
  
One by one, each of the Tiny Toons slowly became acquainted with their new guests, as the Looney Tunes stood around the cubicles. Now and then they would exchange a whisper, but generally they remained silent as their pupils' reactions were carefully monitored and their thoughts recorded by the two foxes who slowly circled the cubes.   
  
Buster sat for several minutes, as the brown rabbit seemed to look equally concerned back at him. Deep down, Buster thought he heard a voice echoing from behind him. He turned and looked about, wondering if someone in the cube next to him had said something. Seeing no one, he turned back to the brown rabbit, and felt an odd wave of realization come over him. One by one he removed his white gloves and set them on the floor. The brown rabbit turned his head, eyeing Buster with large dark eyes. Buster tried again, reaching out a blue, ungloved paw to the rabbit. To his surprise, the rabbit rose and lollopped towards him. Buster laid a paw on its back and felt a great wave of happiness fill him.   
"Yes!" he whispered, feeling that he had accomplished something very important.   
  
Andy sat and watched the two wild foxes stare back at him from the opposite corner of his cubicle, his mind flooded with conflicting thoughts. He wondered how the foxes would react to him, and what his reactions should be, To his delight, one of the foxes began to slowly move towards him. It stopped at his foot and sniffed it briefly. To Andy's greater delight it lay down on the floor and began to clean itself right there next to him. He heard it mutter, "Hmmm... strangest fox I've ever seen."   
But Andy knew a little more about what was going on in these cubicles than he had told the Tiny Toons, and his delight was quickly quenched by a heavy feeling of sadness as the truth hit him. He shook his head at the fox next to him. "Of course you don't fear me--you're not the real fox. You're just the one from my mind."   
The second fox had not moved from its corner. It cowered there, as if frightened by something. It's ears were flat against its head as it's eyes darted wildly, a clear expression of wild fear on it's face. Every time Andy tried to move towards it, it yelped and clawed at the wall, desperately trying to escape. Its actions were accompanied by chilling waves of cold and sadness that struck into Andy' mind like dagger. The sensation was so intense it sent chills down Andy's spine, his tail becoming frizzled as the sensation swept through him. He sat back down in complete confusion as his mind cleared. He stroked the other fox next to him.   
"What's wrong with him?" Andy asked.   
"Donno," the fox answered. "You got any food on you? I'm a bit starved."   
"Nothing," Andy shrugged. "Sorry."   
Andy tried talking to the frightened fox in the corner. It responded by barking wildly and crying out in some unfamiliar and bizarre tongue Andy did not recognize, causing another wave of chills to wash over him. The fox's eyes glowed eerily back at him, filled with a strange, unearthly light.   
"I... wish I could... understand," Andy muttered. Suddenly the light went out and the cube was enveloped in complete darkness once again. Andy felt an odd sensation of coming and going within the cube, presences brushing past him like silent breezes, along with curious sensations of feeling very alone and abandoned, before dissolving into nothing in the darkness. Then the darkness was pierced by a thin shaft of light that grew wide as his cubicle door was opened.   
All around him, the Tiny Toons were emerging from their cubicles, some looking completely confused, others looking refreshed and happy. They were again reunited with their mentors and the outside world as they jabbered about their experiences to them.   
"Eh, piece of cake. Those rabbits and me got along just fine."   
"Those snobby mallards! I'm sure they snubbed me!"   
"Like, I have no idea why I never tried to learn more about myself, or some junk."   
Andy slowly stepped out of his cubicle, shaken, and feeling very heavy- hearted. He was helped out by the two fox scientists.   
"Nono... I'm all right," Andy said, waving the two off. He walked over to where the Tiny Toons had gathered. Despite their varied reactions, the toons had all been weakened from the experience with their animal counterparts. They all looked drained and tired.   
"Well, that was fun, Prof.," Buster commented tiredly. "Now, would you mind explaining what this was all suppose to prove?"   
Andy glanced about calmly. "Your questions will be answered when I see you all again tomorrow." He tried to sound chipper and at ease. "Your reactions have all been monitored, and tomorrow you'll have your first period with me, where we will discuss what went on here today. You will also receive copies of your profiles, and find out a little something unexpected about the animals you met today. Until then, go home, rest, and be yourselves. Class dismissed."   
As the Tiny Toons and Looney Tunes slowly filed out of the gymnasium, the vixen handed Andy a clipboard full of profile and test results from the Tiny Toons. He took the clipboard and glanced at it briefly, before nodding his thanks and heading out of the gym.   
"Poor fellow," the vixen muttered, shaking her head. "Did you see his eyes?"   
The fox nodded. "I've seen it before in other toons. This was more than a simple Nel-Shada evaluation for him."   
The vixen frowned. "It's a bit odd--that second fox didn't come from anyone around here."   
"I know," the fox said coldly. "Another force was involved. Nevertheless, it served its purpose."   
The vixen scratched her chin thoughtfully, and the two began to dismantle the empty cubicles. 


	9. Cave Talk

CHAPTER 9: Cave Talk

  
Though he was a genius and quite sophisticated, Wile E. had refused to conform to what most might call "uniform housing standards." He lived in a large cavern carved into the corner of a hillside on the outskirts of Eastern Los Angeles, where the suburban neighborhoods slowly melted into rock and desert. The interior walls of the coyote's home were made of rock and hard earth. The floor was packed dirt and stones. It was a domicile that had been depicted on several occasions in the Road Runner cartoons of the 50's. But despite it's rugged natural qualities, the inside was completely furnished with electricity and the usual objects one finds inside a common house: chairs, rugs, a television, and a complete kitchen with stove and sink with drain. A hole in one of the walls led to a small bedroom. Another hole led into his work room. The coyote's home had taken on one other human convention. Along the outer walls of the den holes had been made, most likely via small dynamite blasts, to serve as windows to let natural light into the rooms. It was simple, natural, and comfortable.   
Andy had always felt very comfortable inside the coyote's home. and the whole naturalistic appeal of the place sometimes made Andy feel a bit guilty that he himself wasn't living in some small earthen den in the ground somewhere, rather than the excessively "human" dwelling he had chosen to reside in.   
  
The loud rumble of Slappy's red Dodge Viper echoed into the coyote's house as it pulled up in his driveway. The sound was followed by the slam of a car door, and a familiar knock upon the coyote's front door.   
"Are you in, genius?" Called Andy from outside.   
Momentarily a voice from within answered. "Are you out, foxed?"   
Andy snickered and pounded resiliently on the coyote's front door. "I am in need of a sub-standard intellectual. Perhaps you know where I might find one?"   
"Just a moment," came the voice from inside, "Let me phone the local hunt. I hear they've been itchy for a good fox to chase."   
Andy scowled and kicked the door playfully. He was about to pick the lock with a clawed finger when the door opened. Wile E. stood filling the doorway, scowling with his eyes but smiling nevertheless.   
"Hello, Fox."   
Andy began scratching an ear with his extended claw and whistled innocently. "Coyote."   
"You were going to pick my lock!" Wile E. accused.   
"Would you rather I just walked through the wall?" Andy smiled.   
"Oh, get in here," Wile E. laughed, grabbing Andy by his fur and pulling him inside.   
  
"You were out all afternoon?" Andy asked, sitting down in a chair.   
"I was at the lab analyzing data until after lunch," Wile E. answered, sounding tired. "Sorry I missed your class. How did it go?"   
"Well," came Andy's short reply. "It went pretty well."   
"Ah ha," muttered Wile E. thoughtfully. He wandered into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home, Fox," he called back. "What can I do for you?"   
"Try and figure out why I've been having headaches lately," Andy said dryly.   
"Excuse me?"   
"Never mind."   
Wile E. returned a few minutes later and handed Andy a cup of oddly colored toon tea.   
"I had Thomas come and speak with Calamity," Andy said, trying to sound casual and sipping the pungent liquid. He eyed it oddly as he finished. "I hope you don't mind."   
"Mind?" Wile E. fixed the fox with a hard glare. "Mind? Are you mad? That self-inflated, pompous, arrogant windbag of a tree attractor?"   
"Well, I..." Andy stammered, suddenly becoming interested in a potted plant across the room. Wile E. came over and shook Andy's paw vigorously, ending the fox's botanical studies. "Well done, old chap, though I do fear if Calamity spends any more time with him, the lad might want him as a mentor rather than yours truly."   
"Fat chance," Andy said dryly.   
"So, did you get the results then?" Wile E. asked, seating himself in a large arm chair across from Andy.   
"Oh, yes," Andy said, distractedly, watching strange pink swirls form in his tea as he sipped it.   
Wile E. picked up a small device from a table next to his chair and began to fiddle with it. "And...?"   
"The Tiny Toons did pretty well mostly."   
"And... the fox?"   
Andy gave an audible shrug. "Um... I haven't looked," he said distantly, apparently not wanting to discuss the topic. He took a large drink of the fragrant red liquid in his cup, noticing that his mental fatigue from the day's activities had fading considerably. "What about the mice, Wile E.," he asked, looking at his cup quizzically.   
"Ah," Wile E. said, perking up at the change of subject. "We registered a spike in trans-dimensional activity at the lab late last night," he said finally.   
"Great," Andy muttered. He set his cup down, stuffed his paws in his pockets and leaned back.   
"It gets better," Wile E. continued. "The spike was due to a inter-spacial gateway. We've, ah, plotted its characteristics."   
"So where are they?" Andy asked, cutting to the chase.   
The coyote tossed Andy a printout strewn with numbers, graphs, and coordinate maps. A large, important-looking red arrow had been penned in by someone. It pointed to a set of trans-dimensional coordinates. Andy frowned and lowered his eyes as he muttered, "Earth."   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
The sudden jolt of the jet's landing gear hitting the runway caused Arthur's head to fall forward, waking him up from what could almost be considered a nap.   
"Where are we?" he asked, rubbing his sore neck.   
The reply came flatly. "Los Angeles."   
"Oh, wow," Arthur muttered, still trying to make himself believe his current situation. Only hours before he had been sitting quietly in his home, happily engrossed in his world of cartoons and scotch. Now he was with four mysterious strangers in a city a thousand miles away.   
Leaving the airport in a dark Sedan, Arthur was driven to a large, ominous-looking building in the heart of the city. Oversized metal doors closed behind him as he was taken inside.   
After passing through a typical reception area and signing in, Phillip led Arthur down several hallways, followed by the rest of the men. As they walked, Arthur noticed the lighting becoming dimmer, giving a secretive yet safe feeling to the place. The air was cool and quiet. Cold beads of perspiration formed down Arthur's back as they entered an elevator and descended several floors.   
They eventually arrived at the entrance to a large room filled with electronic equipment and general scientific labware. Arthur stood a few steps inside the doorway with Phillip and looked about. The place looked like something from a science fiction movie set: some sort of high-security research area or other. Arthur was never too keen on science, only receiving mediocre grades in high school. Yet, the room gave him an odd sense of familiarity with its dim lighting, computer screens, lab equipment, and what Arthur could only assume were scientists, busy hunched over microscopes or quietly chatting amongst themselves. It seemed almost welcoming to him--in a chilling and unfamiliar sort of way.   
Arthur glanced this way and that, and soon noticed that the focus of everyone's attention seemed to be located across the room. There, in a small cage surrounded by scientists and guards was a sight that Arthur's mind refused to accept.   
"Oh, wow," he again muttered. Inside the cage, small but quite distinct, were two white cartoon mice: quite real, very alive, and the existence of which was completely unable to be explained by the scientists present. It was Pinky and The Brain. 


	10. Introductions All 'Round

CHAPTER 10: Introductions All 'Round

  
The two mice were huddled in the corner of their cage, their faces full of mad panic and fear. Leaving Arthur by the door, Phillip went over to the guards, who let him through to the two mice. Arthur couldn't make out what Phillip was saying to the rodents, but shortly the two mice looked over in Arthur's direction. A look of irritation came over The Brain's face. The mouse pointed defiantly over to Arthur. "That's not him! I said I wanted Andy, you lunk-head!"   
For a tiny animal, The Brain's voice carried easily to every corner of the room, causing Arthur to shiver with a strange sense of exhilaration. Phillip spoke with the mice some more, and after a lot of heated words, Arthur was brought over to them.   
"And just who are _you_ suppose to be?" inquired The Brain violently, pointing a finger at Arthur.   
Arthur sighed with disbelief. "Oh, geez!"   
A mix of anxiety and growing astonishment fought over control of Arthur's face muscles as his mind tried to deal with conflicting sensory data. Odd impulses from his subconscious flashed in his mind like words on a computer display. "Unexpected toon presence," they reported. "Invalid query data. Unclear action." Arthur held his head to try and stop the strange words popping into his thoughts. There was a moment of silence before the words continued, "Base link to origin established. Requesting instructions from mission staff."   
"What you suppose is wrong with him, Brain?" Pinky asked, watching Arthur pound a fist uselessly against his head.   
"The same thing that happens to me each time I try and understand you, Pinky."   
Pinky gave a joyous laugh and began pounding his own head with a fist.   
"Stop it, Pinky," The Brain countered, taking Pinky's fist and forcing it to his side. "Your brain is scrambled enough."   
Arthur looked deep into the eyes of the two mice. The Brain and Pinky stared back, their faces showing fear, and to a keen eye, a desperate pleading for somewhere--someone to come and help them. Suddenly Arthur felt a massive wave of paralysis grip his entire body, as if something very powerful had taken control of him. On a table several feet away, a small electronic device started beeping and blinking excitedly. One of the scientists noticed and motioned Phillip to the device.   
Still standing rigidly in his place, Arthur slowly raised a hand to the two mice. Completely unaware of his actions, his thumb crossed his extended index and middle fingers, leaving the other two bent forward. He slowly rotated his hand a quarter turn and waited. Phillip stood silently and watched Arthur with pure curiosity.   
After several moments of confusion, Pinky's eyes lit up. "Oh, Brain, look!" He clasped his paws together, displaying his characteristic, happy-go- lucky self. "He's given us that old rodent toon greetings gesture thingie! Oh, isn't that nice? Maybe he _is_ Andy!"   
"Balderdash!" The Brain was slower to convince, eliciting a second, more complex gesture from Arthur's hand. Finally, the frown that The Brain had been wearing for many days turned into what one could almost consider a warm smile. Reluctantly he took his index fingers and made a sweeping gesture with them as he twitched his ears oddly. Arthur's hand dropped and his paralysis was lifted, the phrase "Identity confirmed," echoing in his thoughts. He stood wavering for a moment before scratching his brow, and for an instant Arthur thought he could smell the scent of pine trees and smoke.   
He looked about the room, then to Phillip. "Well, that was weird," he mumbled.   
Phillip turned from the two mice, who now looked a hundred times more at ease, to Arthur. "Andy Fox, I presume."   
"Ah," Arthur stalled, feeling oddly out of place, and still not completely sure what had just happened.   
Phillip tried again. "You go by the alias 'Andy Fox', do you not?"   
"Ah... yes," Arthur said, his head clearing slightly.   
"And this alias... it really isn't an alias, is it?" Phillip asked, somewhat accusingly, but also with a hint of excitement.   
"If you believe in toons, perhaps," Arthur said, dodgingly, not sure how much he should say.   
Phillip gestured to the cage. "And just what do you call those?" he asked.   
Arthur shrugged. "Optical illusion?"   
Phillip sighed with annoyance at Arthur's indirect answers. He cocked a thumb at Pinky and The Brain. "These two have told us that they come from another place--another dimension, universe, whatever--a place of cartoon characters. They told us that a toon named Andy Fox has a human counterpart living here. They told us that he would probably be the only one who would know how to get them back home. From what our scientists have said, I for one believe them. Now how about some answers?"   
Arthur stared dumbly at Phillip, locked in an inner conflict of paranoia and secrecy. Phillip relaxed his voice in a final attempt at getting through to Arthur. "Look, Mr. Trenton, we only want to help them. We aren't really the NSA. We're a private organization called The Friends of Forbidden Science. We're engineers, scientists, theologists. We spend our time working on theoretical scientific endeavors--things people say can't exist: anti-gravity, time travel, alternate dimension travel, matter transportation--that's how we found the two mice. we have equipment that monitors the ambient trans- dimensional energy in matter. Our meters shot off the scale when those mice appeared."   
Phillip's tone became not unlike a scientist excitedly discussing a new find. "Until we saw them with our own eyes we had never believed that something like a toon could exist, but there they were. I, ah, can't say we were entirely disappointed at being proven wrong." Phillip smiled at his late statement, giving Arthur the definite impression that he was indeed among not only enthusiasts of science, but of cartoons as well. "Those two toon mice have more energy in them than our sun. We brought them here for their safety. God knows what would happen if some kid found them--or worse. Can you imagine what would happen if anyone from the government or the military had gotten a hold of them?" Phillip's voice became heavy with disgust. "An indestructible life entity--Lord knows what kind of twisted plans they would use them in."   
Arthur was about to comment on Phillip's statement about toons being indestructible, but chose to drop the idea. "How long have they been here?" he asked instead.   
"Eight days," Phillip answered. "They insist their coming here was a tremendous mistake. We only want to help them return to their home. Now," The excitement vanished from Phillip's voice, replaced with a dead seriousness. He measured his next words evenly and sternly. Speaking slowly he repeated, "Are you Andy Fox--yes or no?"   
Arthur closed his eyes for a moment, and seemed to be deep in thought about something. For all Phillip's attempts at getting answers from him, another item had been the source of Arthur's displayed reluctance, and it was this item--an item of security--that he now chose to brake.   
He opened his eyed and nodded to Phillip. He extended a hand. "At your service, so-to-speak." 


	11. Called Away To The Woods

CHAPTER 11: Called Away To The Woods

  
The yellow rays of the evening sun cast elongated, distorted shadows across the grass as Andy and Slappy were again relaxing on the back patio. The gentle tune of Jimmy Buffet's "Island" drifted, barely audible, from a small radio within the house. Fluffy lay napping peacefully on a corner of the deck, his long ears flat and relaxed against his head. Beneath his saddle, his body gently rose and fell from his silent breathing.   
Andy sat back and gazed up into the indigo sky while Slappy was busy examining a large brown envelope that had been delivered earlier.   
"Took those sanna-frazzin' courts long enough," Slappy grumbled as she sliced the envelope open with a letter opener. Andy gave a sound of agreement.   
Slappy unceremoniously shook the contents of the envelope out onto the patio table. Amidst the collection of papers and documents that tumbled out, the shimmering of a gold seal stamp on one of them caught the corner of Andy's eye. He turned and eyed the pile on the table, then Slappy.   
"Oooo," Slappy commented cynically, holding up the paper in question, "it's official." In her hand was an elaborately decorated toon marriage certificate.   
"I guess so," Andy agreed. "All nice and legal now."   
"Eeeesh," Slappy commented, passing the certificate to Andy. "Formality is all it is. Personally it don't make any difference to me. I don't need to have some piece of paper or stand around a court house for two hours to pledge my life to some mangy old fox. Heh ha."   
Andy looked at Slappy pitifully. "Mangy old fox?"   
"Yeah, mangy." Slappy stood up and walked over to Andy's chair, hopped up the back of it and wrapped her arms around Andy's neck. "Mangy, scraggly, snobby... and all mine." She pecked Andy on his cheek and hopped down.   
"Hey, not so fast, you," Andy barked, reaching out a paw and grabbing Slappy's tail before she could get away. He swiftly lifted her off the deck by it and set her down on his lap.   
"Hey, hey!" she yelled. "That's my tail! Just what do you think..." Slappy's words were cut off as Andy gave her a passionate kiss and hugged her small body to his. After a moment or two her hands began to grope around to find the fox's middle to hug him back.   
"You're a very cranky wife," Andy chided after releasing Slappy.   
"Eh, you knew what you were gettin'," Slappy accused. She reached up and ruffled Andy's head fur before leaping down and returning to her chair. This time her tail wasn't pursued by a brown paw.   
"Some of our friends did get annoyed though that we didn't have a full- blown wedding ceremony, you know," Andy mused. "A lot of them would have liked to have attended it."   
"Humph," Slappy commented. "More work. and any of _my_ friends would know that I don't do that lovey, mushy, 'walkin' down the isle' stuff. We were wed by natural toon tradition. And besides, we're both animals. Why confuse our love with a bunch of human hooey?"   
"Human influence," Andy sighed, "it's pretty strong around here. Maybe we should move to some nice secluded wood somewhere where toon animals are natural and... less humanized."   
"What?" Slappy barked. "And leave my Acme Explosive catalogs and city ammunitions dump? And air-conditioning? And my Nut Of The Month club?"   
Andy snickered quietly. "Just checking."   
"Eh, speaking of animals, how'd your lecture go today?"   
"Mmmm," Andy muttered, half-clearing his throat.   
"That good, eh?" Slappy asked, picking up her book and paging to where she had left off from it.   
"Well, let's just say that hypocrisy doesn't suit me," Andy said tiredly.   
Slappy put down her book and looked squarely at Andy. "You're thinking about it, aren't you--that animal do-hickey ritual thing?"   
Andy turned slowly to look at Slappy. The squirrel grumbled in her own unique way and tapped her fingers on the table. "That's what's been eatin' you lately."   
Andy's shoulders sagged tiredly. "Have you ever felt out of place--like you're missing out on something?"   
"Not really," Slappy said flatly.   
Andy sighed, resting his chin on his hand, feeling somewhat brushed-off by Slappy's apparent coldness.   
"But then again," came Slappy's soft voice, "Your not quite like me. My family has a strong natural squirrel heritage vein in it. You... I mean your family... well... your ah..." Slappy's sentence finished in a mumble as the fox turned to look at her with lost and searching eyes.   
  
As they sat, a large dark form emerged from the border of the woods and made its way silently and unseen across the lawn to the patio.   
"Excuse me, Andy?" came a low, calm voice.   
The unexpected sound jolted the fox out of his thoughts so abruptly he shot several feet up and out of his chair, crashing back down on the deck a second later, dazed and frizzled. He and Slappy turned with a start. Standing on the deck behind them was a giant, wild raccoon. It's massive body sat hunched on four giant, clawed paws as it looked levelly at Andy and Slappy. In the dimming evening light, the pitch black of its paws and face mask contrasted with the lighter brown of its body fur. The animal's white eyebrows and chin seemed to glow eerily with a light of their own, and its yellow eyes flashed brightly, but kindly, at the two toons.   
The animal spoke elegantly and earnestly. "Hello, Sir. Em... sorry for startling you. Wasn't my intention." It nodded to Slappy and raised a huge black paw to her in greetings. "Mrs. Squirrel."   
Slappy cocked a thumb at the heap of red fur on the deck. "Nerves."   
Andy's ungraceful decent onto the deck caused Fluffy's ears to twitch. His head rose up as he awoke from his nap. The raccoon was almost the same size as him. Fluffy's eyes grew wide at seeing the large animal.   
"I, ah... em... cripes!" In one swift move the rabbit sprung to his feet and darted inside the house to safety from the unfamiliar and apparently menacing animal. The raccoon watched after the rabbit with oddly caring eyes, and smiled.   
Andy picked himself up and brushed his fur out. "What is it, Sasha?" he asked casually, eyeing the raccoon and almost looking interested in her presence.   
"Lady Amber has requested your presence," the raccoon answered.   
Andy frowned slightly. "Now?"   
"Yes--if you can, that-is." Sasha waved a paw fitfully. "Your services are desired, as arbiter."   
"Oh, brother," Slappy chuckled quietly. Andy flashed Slappy a tired and apologetic look. She immediately turned and stifled herself. Momentarily she turned back with a straight face. "Guess you'd better go," she shrugged.   
"You mean... I'm being dismissed?" Andy asked, meekly.   
"Yep," came a curt reply.   
Andy's face drooped slightly in mock sadness. "But it's our honeymoon," he whined.   
Slappy feigned annoyance. "Go 'way," She said crossly, waving him off. Her eyes, however, clearly told him that she regretted but understood his leaving.   
  
Lady Amber was a well-respected ferret whom Andy had meet many years earlier. She resided in a section of woods owned by one of Andy's neighbors, an old and disgruntled Groundhog who use to do commercials for Acme during the 40's. It was an older portion of forest, and had centuries of toon animal history and culture woven into it. A well-established society of critters resided there, and was home to many wise animals.   
Andy had first been introduced to the animals of the Southern California Woodland Animal Band back in the 1950's when he had bought his land from them. Natural animal toons have little use for money or power, valuing respect and honesty much more highly. Prior to the sale, Andy had been escorted to the ruling family at the time, a self-assured but kind and well-groomed family of ferrets. After a pleasant introduction and a complimentary dinner, he was awarded the deed to 20 acres of land at a ridiculously reduced price, plus free access to all of the surrounding territory, with the condition that he would respect the land, and offer his services as a fellow animal as an official arbitrator and just general problem solver to the animals when needed. Apparently his reputation in the cartoon industry had preceded him. Of course, his ability to speak and understand the various animal languages and dialects didn't hurt either.   
Andy had graciously accepted the offer, and over the passage of time, obliged the animals to the best of his abilities. After all, he and his neighbors may have owned the land, but the animal band was there first, and all of Andy's neighbors were fellow animals who respected the rights of the animal society present.   
Now Lady Amber, a descendent of the original family, ruled the forest And, after fifty years, the land had remained unchanged and unaffected by the urban sprawl of L.A., And it always would, kept preserved by the loyal toon animals who owned the land.   
  
"I apologize for unsettling you earlier," Sasha offered as the two walked side-by-side through the woods, the unusually large raccoon padding along on all fours while Andy strolled next to her.   
"Oh, don't worry about it," the fox replied. "Sorry if I seemed a bit curt towards you. I've been preoccupied lately... It's good to see you again."   
"No problem," Sasha said earnestly.   
"You know you don't have to do this," Andy said, patting Sasha's side. "I think I can remember the way."   
"You know very well Lady Amber will not have any of her guests come without an escort," Sasha chided, as if reading words from an invisible rule book.   
"Pity," Andy sighed. "And I thought you did it because you liked me."   
"Well," Sasha faltered slightly. "Lady Amber needed someone to summon you."   
"And you just happened to be around."   
The raccoon turned and eyed the fox innocently. "I'm always around."   
The two continued on through the woods, the growth becoming more dense, birch and ash trees giving way to oak and pine. Amidst the foliage, the sounds of countless natural toon animals could be heard. Andy glanced about to see squirrels, voles, chipmunks, beetles, toads, and tree lizards, all creatures busy with the tasks of their daily lives. A pair of cardinals circled high above, their contrasting red feathers flashing in and out of the trees.   
The world of toon comedy and slapstick had definitely been left behind. Here, it was the world of the natural, wild toon animals--a world that was toony in its own special way, and followed its own natural laws and rules of life and death. Here, and for all natural toon animals everywhere, a fall from a tall tree can be fatal, and a hungry fox is a real danger to a rabbit.   
Aside from Sasha and a few other animals who dealt with the "outside world", English was unknown here, and the air teemed and buzzed with the dozens of languages belonging to the various species of animals around them. Andy was familiar with all of them, along with a special shared language used by many of the more social toon animals, referred to simply as Common Wild. It is a relatively complex language, varied and diverse enough to allow hundreds of species to use it to share their unique thoughts and feelings with each other. It was the language that would be used that night for the arbitration.   
The woods parted as Sasha and Andy came out upon the wide bank of a river that ran through the forest. Where the river twisted through it, the forest roof gave way to the deepening blue of evening sky, accented majestically by the glow of a rising moon. The tips of the trees still glowed with the golden light of the setting sun, casting an orange light over the land. It gave the whole area a feeling of warmth, seclusion, and old familiarity to Andy, stirring old memories of times long ago.   
The ground along the river was covered with a soft carpet of loam and last year's leaves. Sasha padded quietly along it next to Andy.   
"Well, there they are," she said, waving a paw. A cry of welcome sounded ahead of them as a small collection of creatures awaited them near a large tree stump. It was Lady Amber and her party. 


	12. Meetings

CHAPTER 12: Meetings

  
Arthur looked at the two mice in near complete bewilderment. "So you did what, now?"   
The Brain began to fidget nervously. "Ah, heheh. Well, you see Pinky and I were planning on taking over the world, you see, by altering the physical structure of space-time around us in the effort to alter our molecular makeup, giving us super powers and making us superheroes, thereby winning the respect and reverence of the people so I would be elected ruler."   
Arthur clasped his head in an expression of fatigue as he tried to understand the concepts The Brain had spoke of. He failed horribly and stared blankly at them, feeling stupid and useless. The Brain continued. "There was an unexpected energy discharge. I believe it caused the structure of space- time around us to collapse and degrade."   
"No foolin'," Arthur joked, completely confused but trying not to show it. For Arthur, looking at the two cartoon mice was like looking at two people he had never met before. He knew them, and yet he didn't. He had been a fan of their cartoons for many years, yet now he felt like he didn't know them at all--they were complete strangers to him.   
Arthur began to feel sick from his lack of knowledge and of not being able to help the two mice--of not being who he needed to be. He looked at the toons solemnly. "You know I can't help you. I can't do anything here. All my powers are back in Toonity."   
  
Arthur stayed overnight with The Friends of Forbidden Science while events slowly played themselves out elsewhere in the universe. He spent several hours getting to know the rest of the team as Phillip introduced him around to the rest of the scientists. They were all friendly, if a bit reserved. During the tour of their facility, Arthur had been startled to notice a printout of one of his cartoon fiction stories lying a work table.   
"Research," Phillip explained. "We used it to verify your identity with the mice.   
One of the scientists Arthur was introduced to was Winston, a short pudgy man whose mind was sharp enough to give any razor blade a run for its money. He was the lead theoretical scientist, dealing with abstract concepts and ideas most of the others either couldn't comprehend, or didn't want to. His topic that week had been, appropriately, how to explain the presence of the two cartoon mice in the next room. Winston and Arthur struck an instant rapport with each other, much to Arthur's surprise and relief. In the midst of enough scientific minds to make him feel like a grade school drop-out, he had found a person who liked talking about and watching cartoons as much as himself. Sadly, though Arthur wanted to help Winston try to solve the mysteries of his toon research, he was able to offer very little of what he considered "useful" information. Winston, however, didn't appear to mind, and kept Arthur up into the early hours of the morning, asking him about his home in Toonity, his life, friends, and the world he had never been to.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
A distinguished-looking ferret with sleek, brown fur perched atop the remains of an old tree stump in front of a small fire pit. Though she was a small animal, there was an almost regal glow about her, her presence seeming to command some unspoken level of high respect. Two prominent squirrel guards stood, one to either side of her. Several beavers stood near by, along with a gathering of gophers and a handful of other woodland residents. On the opposite side of the fire pit stood a large European badger next to another tree stump, completing the odd little gathering.   
Andy walked up to the ferret and bowed his head slightly. "There are those who would call you 'vermin', lady," he said, bending down and taking the ferret's small paw. The ferret peered up at the fox with two curiously colored amber eyes. She returned the fox's comment with one of equal jest.   
"As right they should," she smiled, "as they would call you no different."   
Dropping the formalities, the two hugged warmly, as old friends do. Then, Andy took his place, sitting down on the stump next to where the badger was standing. The large animal had been appointed his personal guard and aid for the proceedings. Andy glanced at its black and white striped head and smiled briefly at it. The badger regarded him kindly, its dark brown eyes hinting of times long past as the animal nodded back, but remained silent.   
"Told you I'd get him," Sasha said confidently to Lady Amber. The two shook paws, then Sasha trundled off into the woods muttering something about being late for dinner.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
"I say, Skippy old lad, can I speak with you for a moment?"   
Skippy waved a paw, not turning away from his computer game. "Hold on. I'm on Level 15."   
"Humph." Fluffy sat down behind Skippy and muttered noisily. "First time since we've met that we can actually talk to each other and all he wants to do is play video games. Oh well. I guess I'll just go soak my ears or take myself for a walk or something."   
Skippy hit the "pause" button and turned to regard Fluffy apologetically.   
"I'm sorry," he smiled.   
"Oh, it's all right," Fluffy shrugged. He stood back up and walked up to the brown squirrel. "Listen, Skippy. I need your help with something I need to do for your uncle. Will you help me out?"   
"Okay," Skippy answered. "What?"   
"Come with me for a bit," Fluffy said, cocking his head to the doorway.   
In the quiet of the evening, Slappy's voice echoed through the lower level rooms as she sat talking on the phone. "Yeah, Gladys, you should've seen it--a mushroom cloud two miles high, and Walter right in the middle, heh ha!" The elderly gray squirrel barely noticed the two toons pass by her on their way upstairs. 


	13. Council From Lady Amber

CHAPTER 13: Council From Lady Amber

  
"Then it is agreed," Lady Amber said decidedly. "The beavers have consigned to allow a treaty between themselves and the gophers to be established, and to cease their flooding of the gopher tunnels?"   
A brief deliberation again broke out as Andy was pulled aside for the twentieth time that night by an important looking beaver and a fat gopher. The three huddled together and began to chatter passionately for several minutes.   
"Yes, you can have your pick of the trees along the river."   
More chattering.   
"Okay, no popple trees."   
More chattering. The beaver began waving his paws about dramatically.   
"No, I can't allow that. The rules of the forest say you can't build more than one."   
More chattering.   
"Okay, and the gophers and moles will be allowed access."   
It had taken nearly four hours for the deliberations to reach this final stage, and all the animals were showing small signs of weariness and agitation. It is never easy for forty wild animals to come to a common decision quickly about anything, especially when distractions and the occasional skirmishes abound.   
As the night had crept in, a small fire had been lit in the center of the pit where the animals had gathered around. The pulsing yellow light from the flames played off of the three hunched figures as they came to a decision. Andy and the two party heads returned to face Lady Amber.   
"The two parties agree," Andy answered. "The gophers will end the squabbling on the north bend of the river, and let the beavers build their dam." The beaver and gopher stood proudly aside the fox as he delivered the verdict to the ferret.   
"Excellent. Well done, Fox."   
Andy smiled. "Ma'am."   
The fox returned to his tree stump seat next to his badger guard as the agreement was made binding by solemn oath. Suddenly, he began to feel very tired and dizzy, as if all of his energy had suddenly been drained. His vision began to blur slightly, and he had to fight to keep his senses and attention on Lady Amber and the task at hand.   
Thankfully, a few minutes later the arbitration was over. The animals slowly disbanded after the beaver and gopher parties thanked the fox profusely for his assistance. He nodded and thanked them in return. Then he gave a welcome sigh of relief and leaned back on the soft grass, stretching noisily.   
Lady Amber and her squirrel entourage remained, along with the badger. Sasha had also returned after the arbitration had ended, and now sat quietly off to the side.   
Lady Amber poked at the fire between herself and the fox. "You seem tired, Andy. I trust I have not put you out this evening."   
The fox sat back up and shook his head. "Nothing of the sort, Lady. I just feel a bit tired."   
The ferret looked regally across to Andy in an oddly disarming manner. "The arbitration was not the only reason I summoned you here tonight, Sir. We here know what has been happening with you lately."   
"Oh?"   
"We have been watching you for many years. Your path... your family... is not unknown to us."   
Andy looked startled. What Lady Amber was eluding about was no trivial matter. It was not everyone who caught the individual attention of the leader of the entire region of animals, and Andy recognized this. He bowed slightly to the ferret. "I am honored, my lady, if a bit confused."   
"There is an unrest in you, Sir Fox, that cannot be silenced by the secession of time that has fallen upon those around you. The long forgotten callings have been stirring you lately. You have heard them, yes?"   
Thoroughly shocked, Andy slowly nodded.   
The ferret continued. "You have reached your heritage crossroads, my friend. It's a true sign that the callings have been received, causing you to feel at odds--left out. But as you will soon discover--you are a stranger only in spirit, not body."   
Andy looked back at Lady Amber, slightly bewildered at her words. He had the very unsettling feeling that she knew something he didn't.   
"Thank you for your wisdom, Lady," Andy said, taking the ferret's paw in his and touching it to his lips, but the ferret was not finished with her words. She began speaking confidentially to Andy in Toon Ferret, her amber eyes glowing from the light of the fire.   
"The fox you saw today," she started, almost dreamily, "came from a very distant place--beyond time--beyond our world." As she spoke, Lady Amber took Andy's paw and slipped something small and round into it. "Your toon spirit is calling for help, fox. He... is lost. Perhaps, it is time for him to come home. You have always had a kind heart, Sir Fox. That is why we let you have your land. Your duty here... is not by chance..." The ferret broke off somewhat abruptly, as if realizing she was saying too much.   
She smiled and stood up, switching back to Common Wild. "Now, fox, go home to your family." Andy rose as well, but was overwhelmed by another sudden wave of dizziness. The badger quickly caught him before he could fall over.   
Lady Amber looked concerned and walked over to the fox. "Are you sure you Are all right?" she asked.   
Andy muttered and nodded affirmatively. He shook his head to clear his senses, then turned to the badger. "Thank you, Fern." he said, extracting himself from two large black paws that were holding him gently. He held on to one and squeezed it affectionately. The badger smiled back at him.   
"Sasha," Lady Amber called, "please see that our friend has proper conveyance home, would you?"   
Sasha exchanged glances with Lady Amber, then smiled and walked off. She returned a short time later wearing a soft birch bark saddle. Around her neck, half-buried in her dark fur, was a red leather collar studded with several jewels, suggesting status and high social rank in the animal community. She walked over to Andy and stood patiently.   
Andy stumbled slightly as he turned to regard the raccoon, then turned back to Lady Amber. "Oh, I don't think..."   
"Come on, dear," Sasha interrupted casually, tugging on the fox's fur with a paw. Lady Amber nodded to the fox.   
Too tired to protest, Andy turned and gave the badger a final smile and paw-shake, before making himself comfortable astride Sasha's broad back, the world continuing to swim around him. He bid Lady Amber and the rest of the animals farewell, as Sasha turned and quietly padded back to the forest.   
"By the way, Sir Fox," the ferret called after him, "please tell your rabbit that he is welcome in our section of woods as well. He always has been."   
Andy nodded and waved a paw to the remaining animals as their forms, lit by the dying firelight, grew small and distant. As they re-entered the thick forest, Andy glanced back to see the badger raise a paw, bidding him a sad but silent farewell. The fox frowned as scenes from decades ago replayed themselves in his mind. With a heavy heart and somber eyes, he watched as the badger's form slowly disappeared behind the deep foliage of the forest.   
  
"You know you don't have to do this," Andy said, his senses and energy slowly and inexplicably returning. He patted Sasha's side. "I feel better now. I'm sure I can..."   
Sasha's voice was playfully gruff as she cut in, "You know very well Lady Amber will not have any of her guests make their way home alone when they are injured or unable," she chided, again reading from an invisible rule book. "Besides," she added, casually, "I _am_ the official escort to our friends of the forest, you know."   
"You're not getting too old for this, are you?" Andy asked.   
Sasha smiled and shook her head. "Not for you, dear."   
Andy sighed and ruffled the 'coon's head fur. "You are one of a kind, Sasha."   
  
It was an hour after midnight when Andy returned home, riding upon Sasha as she trotted effortlessly out of the woods and across his back yard. She lumbered onto the patio and stopped next to the door to the mansion.   
Andy thanked Sasha for her company and kindness, then the two bid farewell to each other. Sasha turned and padded off the deck, her heavy claws scratched the patio floorboards noisily as she leapt off into the grass. Her large body moved gracefully across the yard, disappearing moments later back into the woods.   
Half-asleep and still trying to understand what Lady Amber had told him, Andy stumbled right into the closed patio door. A bright halo of stars circled about his head as he rubbed it in confusion. Smiling at his own action, he opened the door and disappeared inside.   
He found Slappy fast asleep in bed, her resting form illuminated by a cool blue light of the moon through the bedroom window. He gazed at the small object he held in his hand and frowned, a feeling of guilt mixed with annoyance welling in him. He tossed the object tiredly onto the dresser. It made a metallic clang as it hit the hard surface. Andy turned quickly to see Slappy stir.   
"What was that hooey all about, Fox?" Slappy yawned, stretching her body lazily.   
"Sorry, hon," Andy apologized, gazing at himself in the dresser mirror. "They just needed someone to settle a dispute." He crawled into bed next to Slappy. "Just helping out the woodland creatures, you know."   
Slappy snuggled up to the fox, using his soft white cheek fur as a pillow. She buried her nose in it happily. "Sure you were." She yawned once more, before falling back to sleep. Andy cupped an arm around her back and hugged the squirrel happily as he too slipped into a quiet slumber.   
That night, Andy was plagued with a flood of disturbing dreams. Blurred images of toons he didn't know flashed in his mind. He saw a female squirrel, shimmering with gold fur, and a odd-looking grayed fox sitting under a tree. The dream had ended in a wave of unsettling imagery that had caused him to awaken with a start. It was morning. He glanced over to Slappy, fast asleep next to him. Seeing that everything was all right, Andy laid back down, only to be harshly disturbed by the alarm clock/radio blaring to life one minute later. In quick reflex, a gray arm wielding a large cartoon mallet shot out from the bed and swiftly silenced the device.   
Andy was definitely back in the world of toon comedy.   
  
  
To Be Continued... 


	14. Part III: Answers

CHAPTER 14: Answers

  
"Mind if I come along, old chap?"   
There was a pause before the reply came. "I don't see why not. Mind the upholstery," Andy commented absently as Fluffy hopped in to the back seat of Slappy's car and lay down. All told, the fox's nervous claws on the steering wheel did more damage to the car than the large rabbit's gentle paws.   
The fox had had a sleepless night, tossing and turning as the words from Lady Amber played over and over in his mind: "You have reached your heritage crossroads, my friend. It's a true sign that the callings have been received, but as you will soon discover--you are a stranger only in spirit."   
  
Wile E. yawned casually as he walked up the steps of Acme Looniversity. The hallways were still quiet, the morning rush of students still a quarter of an hour away. He stopped at his office door, noticing that it was unlocked. He entered to see Andy sitting at his desk working.   
"Oh, I'm sorry," Wile E. scoffed. "I thought this was _my_ office."   
"Uh huh," Andy mumbled, busily paging through the results of the Tiny Toons' Nel-Shada session from the previous day.   
Wile E. nodded and waved a paw to the rabbit sitting quietly next to the desk. Fluffy smiled and nodded back, his pendent sparking slightly as it caught the rays of morning sunlight coming through the office window.   
"Sleepless night?" Wile E. asked.   
"Not really," Andy sighed, "just busy."   
"Ah ha." Wile E. strolled over to a file cabinet and rummaged through some files. "And how are Lady Amber and Fern these days?" he asked, smiling.   
The fox still didn't look up, but scowled slightly at the papers in front of him. Wile E. chuckled softly, selecting a file from the cabinet and setting it on his desk. "Not a bad price to pay to have a friend of the animals like that."   
This time Andy did look up from his papers. He glared hard at Wile E. The coyote raised a paw in quiet defense. "I don't speak Ferret, Andy, and I don't pry. I'm just a concerned friend who happens to have a psychic connection to you."   
Andy's expression softened slightly. He took Wile E.'s paw and shook it warmly. "Indeed. Though perhaps it would be better for our link to be blocked for a period of time. I think..."   
Wile E. cut Andy off. "I understand, Fox."   
The two toons smiled knowingly to each other, and for a brief second a glow emitted from where their paws met.   
"So what are you going to do around here once the Tiny Toons graduate?" Andy asked, releasing the coyote's paw.   
Wile E. shrugged. "Same thing I've always done--same as the rest. We'll all staying on here for an indefinite time. Have to educate those young minds you know. There will always be young toons who want to have a career in cartoons."   
Andy smiled. "That's good to hear. I think the Tiny Toons are a good bunch. I think they will make you all proud."   
"They already have, Andy," Wile E. said, "more than you can imagine. These Nel-Shada results will confirm what we have always felt: they truly share the same toony spark we Looney Tunes have."   
Andy nodded. He selected a paper from his stack on the desk and passed it to Wile E. "Care to see your young prot‚g‚'s Nel-Shada index?"   
Wile E. glanced at the paper, his face going through a series of different expressions before he gave satisfied grunt. "Rotten little imp."   
Andy smiled. "Well, he does wag his tail more than you do. I don't think I've seen you to one blessed thing with yours on camera--other than get it lit on fire."   
"Hey!" Wile E. protested crossly. "I'll have you know that takes great skill!"   
"Sure," Andy smirked.   
The coyote grunted and handed the paper back to Andy. "Good to see the little scamp excelling so well. Now, if you don't mind, may I have my desk back?"   
Andy rose and stepped aside, motioning to the desk with a sweep of his paws as if he were displaying some prize on a game show. "Your desk, Sir."   
Wile E. reclaimed his piece of office furniture and began penciling in items for the day's schedule. Collecting his papers from the Desk, Andy walked over to a window and gazed out at the stream of students now entering the Looniversity. "Guess I'd better get ready for first period," he muttered.   
Wile E. looked up from a student roster. "I'll see you there in about ten minutes, Fox."   
Without turning from the window, the fox laid a paw warmly on the coyote's shoulder. Wile E. looked blankly ahead for a brief second, before silently nodding to himself.   
Andy dropped his paw and turned to Fluffy. "Fluffy--I'll be little more than an hour. You are welcome to wait here or wander about the campus. Just take care not to get into trouble. There are a couple of toons here who are a bit... em... well they might... Just avoid any little girls with red hair."   
At that, Wile E. broke into a snicker. "Indeed."   
Fluffy nodded. "See you later, Andy."   
Taking his papers, Andy disappeared down the hall. Wile E. returned to his roster, placing check marks next to specific students' names.   
"Does it ever bother you that he commands you like that?" Wile E. asked, not turning to Fluffy.   
The carousel rabbit shook his head. "Andy does not command me. I do what he says because it is my choice. He does not own me."   
Wile E. turned and pointed his pencil at Fluffy. "But he makes you carry him around."   
Again Fluffy shook his head. "No, he _asks_ me to, and I am happy to do so. I do not serve him."   
"Even when he wears spurs?" Wile E. asked coyly.   
Fluffy gave a small chuckle. "Well, they do tickle, but yes." Then he added a bit rigidly, "still, he is the only one I allow to use spurs with me."   
Wile E. sighed and returned his attention to his work. "Well, I suppose you could always buck him off if you wanted to. You seem to do that rather well," he added, thinking back to the previous morning.   
Fluffy coughed awkwardly. "Well, actually, I..."   
"Oh, right," Wile E. muttered. "Him being your guardian and all I guess it would be a bit rude."   
"Well," Fluffy said, looking over to the clock, "that is true, but the simple fact is he's just too large and too skilled a rider for me to toss off."   
"Oh, come now," The coyote said gruffly.   
"It's true," Fluffy shrugged innocently.   
"You mean you couldn't even if you wanted to?"   
Fluffy only smiled and shook his head. "Not unless I tricked him, and I will not do that."   
"Does he know?" the coyote asked.   
Fluffy gazed up at the ceiling for a moment and nodded. "Oh, I think he suspects."   
"And that doesn't bother you? You still tote the fur ball around?"   
Again, Fluffy smiled and nodded. "That fur ball is quite special to me. I'd never have reason to buck him off anyhow. I owe a great deal to him."   
"You are a curious fellow," Wile E. commented, patting the rabbit's back.   
"More than you could imagine," Fluffy agreed.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
The Tiny Toons assembled in the Acme Looniversity's junior auditorium for their first period session of the day: the conclusion to the previous day's special events. The rest of the Looney Tunes were also once again present, this time including Wile E., as well as Thomas T. Wolf. The two carnivores exchanged smug glances with each other, conveying their own admiration for each other.   
The junior auditorium was little more than a very large classroom, but designed with better acoustics to allow a speaker's voice to carry to all corners of the room. It could accommodate perhaps 50 students, seated in rows rising up to the back wall, and it had a small, elevated platform at the front. Andy's voice spoke up above the quite din of the auditorium. "Good morning, everyone. Hope you all got a good night's sleep."   
"Are you kidding?" Plucky piped up. "I was up all night tryin' to guess what that animal stuff was all about yesterday." Sitting next to him, Shirley The Loon whomped Plucky on the head with her history book for his outburst, but his spoken feelings were not unique. Many of the toons had been curious about the previous day's proceedings.   
Andy held up the evaluation results. "All of your questions will be answered now. These are the results from yesterday's session in the gym." He began passing out the evaluations to the toons. Scowls and confusion appeared on their faces as they tried to interpret the numbers and scientific jargon written on their evaluations.   
"Contrary to the rumors you might have heard," Andy continued as he handed out the papers, "this was not a psychiatric evaluation. There are no shrinks with couches here to tell you what to feel. As I explained before, the Nel- Shada evaluation is given to a great number of toon animals each year near the end of their primary education, like CAT's or career placement evaluations, but the Nel-Shada is given for your benefit only, and has nothing to do with your careers."   
"Then why is it given?" Buster asked.   
"It varies between toons," Andy explained. "Each reason is unique. The evaluation is requested by a sponsor: the toon's parent, mentor, or guardian, who feels that the toon has a special gift or unique heritage which should be explored and nourished.   
"So..." Buster shrugged, "we're special?"   
Andy smiled. "Yes you are."   
"How come my parents didn't say anything about taking this test?" Hamton asked.   
"Because your evaluations were not requested by your parents."   
Andy handed Hamton his paper. "The results of Nel-Shada evaluation are meant to be shared between the toon and his or her sponsor, in your case..." Andy made a sweeping motion with his paw. "...your mentors. Only they and I can see them. Now, you are completely free to share your results with each other, but it is not required."   
"Hey--how come you got to look at all of them?" Babs asked.   
Andy answered curtly, "Because I'm En-nest'alida to all of you, so don't worry."   
"What's En-..." Babs started, but the fox silenced her with a sly look.   
"Ask your mentor," he whispered.   
"But... why did our mentors do this?" Buster asked, confused.   
A familiar voice cut in to answer the question. "Because you kids are da future for us." All the toons turned to see Bugs standing up on the platform at the front of the room. "You toons are da next generation of our family of toons. You're our legacy, and I ain't talking about makin' cartoons with Warner Brothers and actin'."   
"We all toon the Nel-shada years ago just like you kids did yesterday," he explained. "It ain't no test, and it ain't got nuttin' ta do with Warner Brothers or da Looniversity; we just did it here because it was convenient with you all tagether here anyhow. Dis is about us toons and a new generation which will one day take our place in da world of toons and cartoon comedy. Last t'ing we want is to pass on our torch to a bunch of Disney-style animal toons who don't even realize dey are animals." At this the Tiny Toons broke into stifled laughter.   
"You kids have always made us very proud," Bugs finished, his voice filled with stern pride and admiration. "And you always will, no matter what you do with your lives. We just wanted you to discover how special you are inside, and to find out a little about da proud family of animals each of you comes from."   
Andy returned to the front of the room while Bugs went back to his seat next to Buster. "Okay, kids," the fox spoke up. "We're going to go through these evaluations and explain what they say, but first, there is one little thing you weren't told yesterday. Only one of the two animals you saw yesterday was real." A wave of murmurs passed among the Tiny Toons. Andy went on. "One of the animals you saw was a wild, natural toon animal, brought in as a volunteer to help you with your Nel-Shada evaluations. The second one was created from your own mind. It was the physical manifestation of the animal self inside of you--the animal that you perceive yourself, or your species, as. The purpose yesterday's evaluation was to let you see how different, or how similar, you see yourself compared to your animal counterparts."   
Buster again raised his paw. "You mean that white rabbit in with me was... from my own mind?"   
Andy nodded. "The rabbit from your inner self--the rabbit you are inside. On your papers, that animal is marked as "Self Animal." The other, wild animal is marked, obviously, "Wild Animal."   
"He was so nice and friendly to be with," Buster thought aloud, "not like that other rabbit."   
"The actions of the wild rabbit dictated how you would be perceived by animals out in the wild," Andy explained. "The more positive their reactions, the closer you are to your animal roots. As for the rabbit from your mind, the 'Self Animal', it's a bit more complex. It's reactions can show internal conflict inside you towards your animal side, or it can show how at ease or comfortable you are with your own perception of your species of animal. Based on the reactions of both animals, we can determine where you fall within the Nel-Shada indexes, and help you understand more about your own inner animal heritage. Again, this was not a psych. test. This is about your animal heritage. You may think you are in tune with your animal sides, but a Nel-Shada evaluation can show you that you might not be so keen after all."   
Sweetie nudged Furrball. "Did what he just said make any sense to you?" Furrball half-nodded, half-shrugged, and meowed.   
Andy stepped down from the platform at the front. "For the rest of the period, your mentors and I will help you understand your results. Feel free to ask us anything you wish. We are here for your benefit."   
For the next forty-five minutes, the Tiny Toons sat with their mentors as their results were explained to them. Now and then a hand would pop up or Andy would hear his name called as he went from toon to toon, aiding in their education.   
Calamity sat boxed in by Wile E. and Thomas T. Wolf, sharing his results with the two scruffy carnivores. A barrage of signage and canine barking was exchanged between the three toons.   
Out of all the Tiny Toons, the one who shined the most in his animal heritage was Furrball, the pitiful blue alley cat who lived his life 100% natural, and roaming the alleys (when not temporarily living with a toon as a pet). Driven by his animal instincts and natural feline urges, his actions showed very little human influence, and there had been virtually no difference between the Wild Animal and Self Animal that he had interacted with.   
Sylvester ruffled Furrball's head fur proudly. "Us cats have always been superior!" he boasted as Andy gave Furrball a brief pet and a congratulatory nod.   
Plucky and Daffy's squabbling was causing a minor uproar in one section of the auditorium. Andy gravitated over to the spittle storm as his name was called.   
"What?" he asked, poking his head through the argument.   
Plucky waved his paper furiously. "This sanna-frazzin' thing says I failed to communicate with my animal brothers!"   
Daffy was trying to calm the green mallard down. "That's not what it means, kid. It just means you didn't pick up on some of the body language."   
"I'll show you body language!" Plucky declared, about to form a rather lewd gesture with his wing. Andy quickly grabbed Plucky's wing and smacked the mallard's head with it. "Stop hittin' yourself," he smiled. Plucky collapsed into a huff. Andy and Daffy exchanged a smug glance and Andy gave Plucky a friendly chuck on the shoulder. "I donno what you're all bent out of shape for, Plucky. You got a 24.8 out of a possible 30. That is a very high score. Just because you missed a few things doesn't mean you aren't a true mallard."   
"Yeah?" Plucky asked, quickly changing moods and looking eager.   
"Yeah," Andy agreed.   
Plucky jumped up into the air. "Woo-hoo! Eat your heart out, bunnies! Make way for Plucky Duck: brother to the mallard, friend of the waterfowl!"   
"Sheesh," Daffy commented dryly. "Where does he get this stuff?"   
Andy shrugged, eyeing Daffy. "I have no idea, duck."   
Despite his minor confrontation with his wild rabbit, Buster scored the second highest score. Though his "Self Animal" resembled a domesticated rabbit, he was able to understand how to associate with the wild rabbit.   
"You did real good, kid," Bugs told him. "You got a lot of rabbit in ya."   
"Thanks, prof.," Buster said sheepishly. Bugs took the young rabbit's paw. "You was able to connect with the wild part of yourself. Dis part here," he said, pointing to a section on Buster's evaluation, "says you were able to actually hear da voice of the rabbit. Dat ain't no little achievement, kid."   
Buster shrugged casually. "Eh, just call me Dr. Dolittle Rabbit!"   
Fifi's eyes lowered as her results were explained to her. "Eet eez not your fault, Cherie`," Pepe said, trying to comfort her. "Eef you would have been any higher in your score, zat male wild skunk would have tried to... 'ave eez way with you. Sometimes, eet eez good not to be too animal-like, yes?" Pepe patted the purple skunkette's shoulder. "You have many skunk traits which zee others do not have, like your scent. Zat is a beeg plus in your animal heritage. Zer eez no pass or fail, Cherie`. You are a fine female skunk, and you are very special."   
Fifi shrugged. "I just thought I would 'ave scored higher."   
Although her inherent ability to make flowers wilt from her presence, Fifi was second only to one other Tiny Toon at having the lowest score: the toon who lived in conventional housing, and had taken on a great deal of human traits and beliefs--Hamton.   
"I don't need to speak Boar to understand what a pig says," he said with satisfaction, seeming to be quite content with his results. "And, if I want to live in a nice clean house instead of wallow around in the mud, that's my choice, and I don't think it makes me any less of a pig."   
"N-n-no one is saying that, Hamton," Porky assured him. "Th-the-th-the Nel-Shada evaluation is just a way of showing how human you've become."   
"And what's wrong with humans?" Hamton snapped.   
"N-ne-n-nothing, Hamton. You can be whoever you we-w-want to be. And w-we- w-what you are right now is one s-s-se-super kid!"   
"Aw, Thanks, Professor Pig."   
Despite Hamton's low score, however, there was one toon that had received one lower, and that toon's eyes fell with a heavy sigh the previous day when he was handed the evaluations and the disheartening truth of his own results had hit home. Now, the red vulpine sat quietly by himself, mulling his results over and over in his mind.   
It wasn't that his score showed that he failed, necessarily. It was that his score showed nothing at all. It was as if he was missing something inside: an empty hole where a toon animal heart and core should have been. He had believed that the fox that had spoken to him in the cubicle was his Self Animal: the fox from his mind, but as he scowled at the paper he held in his paw he saw that he had been mistaken. That fox had been the real, wild one all along. This only served to confuse him further. Where had the other fox, the terrified ghost of an animal, come from? The results showed something very peculiar, almost as if that second fox had not been generated from Andy's mind at all, but had came from some very far and distant place.   
  
At ten minutes to the end of the period, and the Tiny Toons now understanding their Nel-Shada scores, Andy returned to the front of the class. "Each of you is a unique and wonderful toon. It is up to you how you wish to interpret what you have learned here today. Now are there any remaining questions?"   
"So, like, is any of this going to show up on our final grades, or some junk?" Shirley asked.   
Andy shook his head. "Not at all, though if you are interested in learning more about the Nel-Shada and animal heritage, there are books on it in the library. The more you know about the animal you are, the more you will learn about yourself. It may not seem like it, but you would be surprised how your animal traits can be useful to you. Perhaps, someday, some of you may even partake in the toon heritage ritual of the Animal Rite of Passage to become more 'whole' in your animal spirit. It is all up to you."   
Babs' paw went up. "Okay, Mr. Know-it-all," she said, sarcastically, "if natural animal tendencies are so important to you, then how come you're living with a squirrel and a rabbit? They are your natural enemies!"   
Andy fell silent for a few moments at the directness of the pink bunny's question. "Natural enemies, yes," he eventually concluded calmly. "However, here in the toon world, nature is not the same as on Earth. There are exceptions everywhere--even our wild animals follow different rules. It can be easy to miss, being around humans all the time, but the exceptions are all around you."   
Andy motioned to Calamity. "For example, it can be easy to overlook the fact that you have a natural carnivorous predator amongst you." Calamity wasn't sure to look proud or hide behind Wile E. at his being singled out. "A carnivore who wouldn't mind a rabbit sandwich," Andy continued, eyeing Buster and Babs, who were squirming a bit nervously.   
"Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind one my..."   
"Settle down, Fox!" Bugs called out.   
Andy grumbled with mock annoyance and stuffed his paws in his fur in a huff. A few giggles escaped from the assembled toons.   
"Me want rabbit sammich too!" Dizzy spoke up, waving his paws. "Dizzy no eat breakfast today!" Andy produced a box of Acme pizza rolls and tossed them to Dizzy who devoured them, box and all, in one satisfied munch.   
"Anyhow," he finished, returning his attention to the class, "we all are intelligent animals, and that's why it can be so easy to forget these things. But, just because you have intelligent minds does not mean you should deny what feels natural to you. I honestly admit that it was a true conflict for me to fall in love with a squirrel--a natural victim of foxes. However, here in Toonity, exceptions in matters of the heart are not necessarily forbidden, or uncommon."   
The fox had clearly been unsettled by the rabbit's observation, and wiped his brow with a paw.   
"Would you, like, call that a sign of human influence?" Shirley asked.   
"I'd call it a sign of intelligence," Andy answered. "Human influence is what can drive you away from your animal sides. It takes animals away from their homes, makes them wear clothes and drive cars, and worst of all it can make the animal forget he is an animal. It can bombard them with so much civilization and the modern buzz of the workplace that the animal becomes nothing more than a human in an animal costume, and the toon doesn't even realize it. This is the final outcome that I truly hope none of you will ever encounter."   
Andy paused for a moment. "There is a DVD over in the anime section of the film library which tells the story of a band of shape-shifting raccoons who, in order to survive, had to abandon their natural way of life and live and work as humans in the human world. It is a truly tragic story. I suggest those who are interested, check it out. It's called, 'Pom Poko.'"   
"Hey, wait!" Babs started. "Isn't that the movie where the raccoons use their te..."   
"Yes it is," Andy cut in quickly, giving the rabbit a warning look.   
There were a few seconds of quiet before the next question. "Em... Mr. Fox?" Foulmouth asked. "You mentioned this Animal Rite of Passage thing before. Em... so what is it?"   
"It is a very old and ancient piece of toon animal heritage, Foulmouth," Andy responded. "It's a very private and spiritual method of exploring your animal heritage. A toon goes off into the wild to seek their true selves, and whatever they may feel they are missing from themselves. The ritual changes you--takes your mind to a more simple state. You become a wild version of yourself, and you do not return until you have found that which you sought."   
"Sounds mega-creepy," Foulmouth quipped.   
"Like, don't those rituals involve, like, mondo-mystical magic, or some junk?" Shirley asked.   
"It calls upon the forces of nature and the world around us. It can indeed seem creepy," Andy said, "but the ritual is not evil, nor can it harm you. It is there to help toon animals who have lost their ways."   
As the fox concluded his answer, the dismissal bell sounded, signaling that the hour was over. The fox raised a paw and the bell's ringing was suddenly cut off, the clock on the wall behind him freezing at 3 seconds after nine O'clock. "Are there any more questions?" Andy asked, as if nothing had happened.   
"This ritual," Buster asked. "Does everybody take it? I mean, do all animals take it?"   
"No," Andy shook his head. "Most wild animals never take it, as they are already as animal-like as they can be. A fair number of toons like us take it-- maybe one toon out of ten. It's really hard to say."   
"Does it actually work?" Buster asked.   
Andy scowled. "The ritual will not work if the toon taking it has nothing in his heart of his own heritage. The toon must be true and honest and have a longing for his or her animal spirituality."   
The room went silent and again Andy asked if there were any more questions. There were none, and the bell's ringing again filled the room with sound, the clock on the wall returning to its operation.   
"Remember, kids," Andy said as the Tiny Toons prepared to leave, "your mentors will always be here for you if you want to know more about anything we talked about today. Have a good rest of the day."   
The Tiny Toons filed out of the room, some waving goodbye to the fox as they headed out to continue on with their school day. The Looney Tunes followed them, all except for one, who stayed behind.   
Walking over to Andy, he spoke. "Well, weren't we a bit morose?"   
Andy shrugged at Wile E. "Guess I wasn't the best choice to give this lecture. It's not been a good time."   
The two left the auditorium and made their way back to Wile E.'s office. "Well, what do you expect?" Wile E. said a bit smugly, "You're an alien, Fox--an energy being living as a toon. It's little wonder you're conflicted."   
Andy gave a contemptuous grumble. "Thanks for reminding me," he glared at Wile E, then looked down and sighed.   
"I'm serious, Fox," Wile E. continued, oddly casual about the matter, as if he was discussing the weather. "You were welcomed into the toon brotherhood and given the toon spirit and essence. Now the toon fox in you is reaching out--trying to find your own heritage, trying to become whole... to become complete. In a sense, you seem to be spurning your alien-ness in an attempt to become a true toon of this world. That's why I sponsored you for the Nel-Shada session. I figured I owed you the chance to explore your own animal heritage. Afterwards, there are toons that feel the call to take the Rite of Passage. Yours is no different, but the rite is a very serious thing, Fox. What toons get from it..." Wile E. broke off suddenly, and eyed the fox cautiously. "well, some never find out. And some..."   
"So, you know?" Andy asked, not noticing the concern on his friend's face.   
The coyote nodded. "Don't have to sense your thoughts to know you've decided to take the Rite of Passage."   
Andy shrugged. "I still don't know, Wile. I'm worried what this might do to Slappy. I'm worried about leaving her to pursue my own callings."   
"If she really loves you, Fox, she will wait."   
"That sounds rather clich‚," Andy signed.   
The coyote waved a paw. "Take it as you see fit, Fox, but she will wait."   
Andy eyed the coyote, and saw that the coyote had begun to look rather dreary in the last few moments. "Is there something you're not telling me?" he asked, earnestly.   
Wile E. shook his head slowly. "Perhaps one day, you will find that out for yourself, Fox." He laid a paw on Andy's shoulder. "Then, you'll know."   
  
Standing in the hallway outside of Wile E.'s office, the two toons were greeted by a scene of general disorder and chaos as Fluffy came bounding down the hallway carrying a large mouse and a young skunk on his back. The rabbit barreled past Andy and Wile E. while a dozen other students cheered at the scene. Fluffy turned and raced past the two again, eyeing the fox as he swept by. The mouse's ponytail streamed out behind him as he rode past, clutching Fluffy's collar tightly and looking a bit uneasy.   
"Who's the mouse?" Andy asked, gesturing. The toon in question was roughly 2 and a half feet tall, and sported a gaudy, blue flowered tropical- style shirt and a pair of glasses.   
"He teaches one of our newer programs, 'Toons Behind The Scenes'. You know, all those geeky-type toons working behind the camera."   
"Really?" Andy sounded surprised. "We have a program for that?"   
"Well," Wile E. laughed. "Not everyone can be an actor. Some toon has to run the cameras and set up the lighting, work the booms, and add all those fancy, computer-generated special effects."   
"Oh, I see," Andy nodded. "That's neat."   
"I think the skunk is one of his students."   
As Wile E. spoke, Fluffy raced passed again, the mouse nearly falling off from the rabbit's energetic playfulness.   
Wile E. scowled at Andy. "You know I could insight you for causing a public disturbance and a fire hazard by not having your pet under control."   
"Yes," Andy muttered, finding himself enjoying the mayhem in the hallway.   
Fluffy came to a stop down the hallway and his two riders dismounted, the mouse gracefully falling off and landing with a *THUD*. A dozen or so pens and pencils fell from the mouse's shirt pocket, clattering to the floor and rolling about. The skunk smoothly slid off Fluffy and helped his professor up.   
"Professor Thorne! You okay?"   
"Never better," the mouse mumbled, rubbing his behind.   
Dropping off his two passengers, Fluffy hopped over to Andy. "Pardon me, mast... Andy. Just got caught up in the moment, don't you know. Lovely little youngsters around here!" He exclaimed happily. "Em... hope I didn't cause any trouble."   
"Apparently," Andy smiled. "Some youngsters around here seem to be a lot bigger than others."   
"I thought you were more discriminating on your choice of riders," Wile E. said, eyeing Fluffy.   
"Well, I did let _you_ on, didn't I?" The rabbit said, chuckling.   
Wile E. turned to Andy. "You know I do believe your rabbit has once again snubbed me."   
"Oh?" Andy asked, pretending he hadn't heard. 


	15. Plans Are Made

CHAPTER 15: Plans Are Made

  
It had been three days since Arthur had been brought to Los Angeles and meet The Friends of Forbidden Science, and after those three days they were still no closer to figuring out how to send Pinky and The Brain back to their own universe. Actually they were still trying to figure out exactly how their existence was even possible. After another two days of no answers, Phillip had become irritated at his team's lack of ability to help the situation. He had also began to lash out at Arthur in frustration.   
"Some genius you turned out to be," he accused Arthur one afternoon as they sat and watched the two cartoon mice dine on large chunks of Swiss cheese that they had produced from thin air.   
Arthur shrugged. "Sorry," he said weakly, feeling utterly useless and angry with himself. "I'm only human."   
Phillip was about to make another accusation, then gave a sigh. "I'm sorry. I apologize for bringing you into this, Arthur. It looks like you're just as helpless as we are." He turned and looked over at the cage holding Pinky & The Brain. The two mice continued munching away. "At least they still have their toony abilities."   
Arthur nodded in absent agreement. "My toon half is the only part of me those two cartoon mice over there have ever known. I'm a complete stranger to them--as they are to me. All they do is serve to remind me that the best part of myself is hopelessly beyond my reach."   
"You make being human sound like it's a jail sentence," Phillip said dryly.   
"When you know there is more to you than what you can see--some other, much grander part of yourself that you don't ever get to meet--isn't it?"   
"I'm afraid I can't answer that," Phillip answered. "I've never been anything else, but your life is what you make it, Arthur. Instead of hiding in the shadow of this other half, maybe you should try to compete with it."   
Arthur went silent and looked around blankly. "Compete," he repeated after a long pause. "Interesting idea."   
"You could start by working here," Phillip said, suggestively. "We've also pulled your educational and psychological records. You definitely qualify."   
"Yeah, sure," Arthur frowned. "And be surrounded by people with eight year engineering and bachelor degrees in science? No thanks. I'm just a simple network technician."   
Phillip began to laugh. "You know more than you think. It doesn't take a person with an engineering degree to understand the theoretical sciences. It takes something with a heart and love for the subject. You have the raw drive and spark that this kind of work requires. We could use someone with your aptitude here, if for nothing else, than to help us publish our works. Just because you're human doesn't mean you have nothing to offer."   
Arthur was completely stunned. He was about to accept the proposition gratefully when the impulses in his head began chattering again, as they had earlier when he first saw the two mice. He clasped his hands to his head as if in pain and slumped against a wall with a groan.   
"Arthur?" Phillip asked, quickly taking Arthur and leading him over to a chair. "What is it?"   
Again, words silently flashed inside Arthur's mind as his thoughts were filled with odd sensations of another place. "Receiving... initiating two-way exchange. Request shunted to primary entity. Coordinates locked."   
Suddenly Arthur's mind cleared. He sat up with a start as a tiny piece of information suddenly appeared in his conscious thoughts. "Oh, mother of..." Arthur muttered aloud. "The mission committee... they made a decision on... how to get The Brain and Pinky back."   
"The mission committee?" Phillip asked. "That the group of toons that sent you here to study humans?"   
Arthur slumped back down in the chair and gritted his teeth. "You lousy bastards," he thought silently to himself. "You couldn't just release my thoughts and free me from my prison down here, could you? You miserable, rotten eggheads." Just then, another small meek thought spoke up in his head, and Arthur's rage began to dissolve as quickly as it had formed. He sighed and looked down. "There must be something really important going on back home that they won't release my memories," he sighed to himself.   
Phillip shook Arthur's shoulder to bring him out of his thoughts. "Arthur? What is it?"   
Arthur glanced up at Phillip, his face pale and his voice barely above a whisper. "He's coming."   
"Who?"   
Arthur didn't answer. He looked blankly ahead as a cold shiver run down his spine. "I hope you like surprises," he remarked.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
A pair of pink ears protruded above a tall and unkempt stack of books in the Acme Looniversity library as pink paws flipped through the pages of a large, yellowed tome of forgotten knowledge. Babs hummed quietly to herself as she wondered why her mentor had been reluctant to answer her question earlier.   
"Ah! The very page!" She said triumphantly, and began running her finger down a list of words. "En-cerco, En-frina, En-frina'tet... here it is, En-nest'alida." She read aloud. "proper noun, ancient root 'Nestla', obsolete. A close and trusted friend of a family or community of animals, similar to a godparent, who has been entrusted with the safety and protection of offspring. Note: this term refers to the ancient, root form of family structure of animal kinship of pre-modern toon culture, now practiced only by the true animal toons, and is no longer used."   
Babs scowled slightly as she reread the definition several more times. She set the large book aside and was about to go for another when Buster stuck his head over the stack of books before her. "Hey, Babsy! It's three o'clock. Ready to go to Wackyland?"   
"Oh! Yeah!" she said, perking up cheerily. She hopped off the stool and headed out the door, arm in arm with Buster, matters of ancient animal lore quickly forgotten.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
The rest of the day had been a leisure one for Andy. After returning home from the Looniversity, and spending the day taking care of odds and ends around the house, he had taken Fluffy out for a ride. The rabbit's gentle gate lulled the fox into a peaceful state of reflection as he led Fluffy through the more relaxed parts of the suburbs. Fluffy remained relatively silent as well, taking his cues from the fox's gentle guiding, and feeling the vulpine's legs gently hugging his sides.   
"Well, there it is," Andy said eventually, bringing Fluffy to a halt on a small grassy plateau at the top of a steep cliff.   
"How grand!" Fluffy said in awe, taking in the view. The two had found their way to a little-known scenic overlook. Now both looked down over the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. Across the valley in the distance stood the famous hillside sign of Hollywood. At their height, the sounds from the city below barely reached their sensitive ears. A warm sideways breeze blew through the two toons' fur as they took in the view.   
"It looks innocent," Andy smiled, "but it can be a real jungle."   
"Oh, I don't know," Fluffy mused. "Seems harmless enough to me."   
"Uh huh," Andy muttered absently, looking off into the distance.   
Fluffy's tail twitched slightly. He had noticed that during their ride the fox had been unusually quiet and reserved. He took a step forward and champed at his bit briefly before deciding to confront the issue.   
"Um... Andy?" he asked, turning to eye the fox. "Is there anything you wish to tell me?"   
Andy fumbled with the reins slightly. "No. I don't believe so."   
The rabbit twitched his long ears and scowled back. "I may be just a rabbit, but I do know when a friend is troubled."   
Andy sighed and squeezed the rabbit gently with his legs, his spurs jingling a touch as he did so. "Fluffy," he began, "I... I need to go away for a short while."   
The rabbit turned forward again so that Andy could not see the smile on his face. "I see," he commented innocently.   
"There is some private business I need to take care of," Andy explained.   
"Yes," Fluffy agreed, knowingly. "I understand."   
Andy noticed a definite hint of satisfaction in Fluffy's voice. He eyed the back of the rabbit's head. "You know, I keep getting this odd feeling that that several toons around me know more than they let on."   
Fluffy pawed the ground distractedly. "Really?" he asked, again sounding completely innocent.   
Andy patted Fluffy's side. "You're a true wonder, Fluffy. Take care of Slappy and Skippy in my absence?"   
"Of course, master."   
The rabbit's words had worked a strange sort-of magic on the fox, and he began to feel slightly more at ease with his decision. Only one problem remained. He had yet to tell the most important toon to him, the squirrel he loved, of his decision.   
"C'mon," Andy sighed, tugging gently on Fluffy's reins. "We'd better get back before we're late for supper and Slappy throws a fit."   
Fluffy gave the scene a final second of appreciation before obediently turning and heading back down the way they came. As they once again approached level ground Fluffy smiled slyly and began to prance and buck playfully, kicking his powerful hind feet high into the air. Andy narrowed his eyes, his face also holding a sly smile. He jabbed Fluffy with his spurs and pulled gently on his reins. The large rabbit slowed to a stop and reared up slightly. Andy could feel the rabbit's body shaking from quiet laughter.   
"Ha ha! Can't blame a fellow for havin' a bit of fun, wot?" Fluffy asked cheekily, half-turning to regard his friend.   
"Humph," Andy muttered. He smiled and patted Fluffy's neck warmly, then nudged the large rabbit forward with his spurs.   
Fluffy padded ahead. "It's a very special thing for me to he able to have someone who understands a rabbit like me." He squatted down and scratched his cheek with a hind foot claw before continuing forward again. As the two rode back along the road, a melodic beeping noise sounded from Andy's body. Fluffy's ears twitched, turning to hear the sound. "What was that?"   
Andy's paw fumbled about in his fur, pulling out an electronic pager and pressing a button on it.   
"Oh dear," he muttered, looking at the message displayed. He halted Fluffy and dismounted. The rabbit turned to look at the fox with concern.   
"What is it?"   
Andy stuffed his pager back into his fur. "Blasted work. Em... Fluffy, there's some business at work I need to take care of... right now. Sorry but I need to cut our ride short and send you home immediately. Okay?"   
The rabbit sensed the concern and oddly worried look in the fox's face. He didn't ask further, but simple nodded. "Slappy won't be happy, you know."   
"Tell me about it," Andy grumbled. "Work calls. Tell her I'll be back as soon as I can." He smiled and gave the rabbit a quick hug. "Em... about that other thing... thank you."   
The rabbit's eyes looked back at the fox warmly. "I shall be here when you return."   
The fox took one of Fluffy's front paws and held it in both of his. "I love you a great deal, Fluffy. Always remember that. No matter what may happen." A moment later Fluffy vanished in a flash of light, returning to the back yard of Andy's mansion. The fox disappeared a moment later in the same fashion, appearing outside of Tetra Dimensional, top theoretical toon science facility in the world. He casually walked inside and made his way down to the science staff meeting room. He was met by several toon scientists waiting inside, looks of grave concern evident on their faces. The fox went in and shut the door behind him. 


	16. Facing The Other Half

CHAPTER 16: Facing the Other Half

  
"I... can't do it," Andy said, slumping down on the table and resting his chin on his paws. "I can never go down there again. Not until..."   
"You have to, Andy," Samantha Cat replied. "There's no other way we can bring them back."   
"She's right," Ed Puma spoke up. "We don't have any kind of technology to bring those two mice home, and neither does Earth."   
"I... can't," Andy repeated, almost sobbing. "I've lost too much down there already. This whole damn mission has gone on too long as it is. How can I live with..."   
"This _damn mission_ is the only thing that's going to save those two," Samantha countered sternly. "The data you gathered on Earth was what helped us locate them. Now you need to go down there and bring them back. You've been there before. You've had no problems."   
"You don't understand," Andy said, his tail swishing agitatedly. "He's down there with them. I can feel it. Lately I've felt drained... I know it was him connecting with me. I can't face him. It's not like it used to be there. If I go down there..."   
Andy broke off, burying his face in his arm and closing his eyes, dreading the inevitable. For the first time since he had been split into a human and a toon over thirty years prior, both halves of himself would be together on Earth, and he would be completely gone from Toonity, one hundred percent-- again.   
In the blackness of his mind, two orange eyes glowed, piercing his senses with the same chilling cold he had felt when he was in the cubical with the two foxes. Momentarily, a very faint image began to appear next to the eyes--a vague and mysterious light with no form. Suddenly he heard very faint voices, echoing through the corridors of the universe. The minds of two toons, lost and in danger, were calling out through the vastness of time. As Andy's attention fixed on the two voices, the eyes and the cold disappeared from his mind, replaced by the piercing cry of a wild fox that echoed through his mind. The chill he had felt seemed to wash over him with the sound, changing into a surge of energy and spirit. Suddenly Andy sat up straight in his chair and looked squarely at the rest of the assembled toons.   
"Okay," he said decidedly. "Let's do this thing."   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
Arthur and Phillip were standing near Pinky & The Brain's cage when several minutes later a blinding light suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the opposite side of the room. A strange fizzing sound accompanied the light, like fireworks sputtering and crackling, while brilliantly colored flakes of light danced in the air all about. The event took everyone in the room by surprise. A few of the security men went for their weapons. A couple of the scientists looked quizzically at the strange light in wonder and interest. Arthur, himself, stood in complete and confused panic. His earlier anger had slowly being replaced with a feeling of anticipation and excitement. He would finally be able to see his toon half--to talk with it--to finally have the answers that had been eluding him for so long.   
After several seconds the light faded away, the odd fizzing sound fading to silence. In their place stood something about three and a half feet tall, covered in impossibly vibrant red and white fur. Across the room from Arthur and Phillip stood the most handsome, cute, most perfect-looking cartoon fox Arthur could have ever possibly imagined.   
Arthur's knees gave out on him and he collapsed onto a stool as he looked over at the toon fox standing less than twenty feet away. It looked so perfect, so ideal, and so eerily familiar to him that he dared not believe it was what he hoped it might be, but it was. After running into so many doubts about himself over the years, after so many shattered dreams and lost wishes, could it be possible? His pulse began to rise as a feeling of exhilaration began to overtake him and he knew, down in his heart, that the thing across the room was his toon self--the toon, Andy Fox.   
Arthur, however, was not the only person in the room locked in paralysis at seeing the toon fox suddenly appear out of nowhere. Behind Arthur, Phillip was staring fixedly across the room at the toon, as was everyone else, including the two mice, who looked on with equal awe.   
The fox glanced briefly about before looking directly at Arthur, fixing him with an oddly familiar gaze, then the fox's eyes shifted to the two mice and the rest of the room as he began walking over to the cage holding Pinky & The Brain. A tear slowly formed in Arthur's eye as he continued to look at the fox. "It's me," he gasped to Phillip. "Something kept telling me in my mind, but... I still couldn't believe it."   
Two guards approached the fox and Arthur heard it say it was here for the mice. After a harsh order from Phillip, the guards led the fox over to where Arthur was standing next to the cage. As the fox came closer, Arthur began feeling like a forlorn, abandoned child in the being's presence. "My other half," he whispered, the phrase playing over and over in his head.   
The fox paused and again eyed Arthur as he walked past and gave him a tiny sideways smile, his tail curling itself ever-so-slightly around the human as he continued past. Arthur opened his mouth to speak to the fox, but found his throat congested from the bitter-sweet sadness of the truth that was standing not five feet away.   
One of the men brought over a stool and the fox hopped onto it to be eye- level with everyone else in the room.   
"Well, what do we have here, then?" the fox asked, brightly. His voice was low for an animal his size, and was unfamiliar to Arthur.   
"But, how..." The Brain stammered back, always the scientist.   
"Self-generated dimensional dampening vortex," the fox rattled off hurriedly, "but that isn't important. Now if you two are done sight-seeing we can get back to our own universe. We're violating a half-dozen laws of physics with our presence."   
"You can do that?" Phillip asked the fox. "Just like that--take them with you?"   
The fox nodded. "Why not?" he smirked.   
"Um..." Phillip began, faltering, "we were hoping you might be able to..."   
The fox cut him short. "Thank you for finding them, Mr. Sandal. We... owe you our thanks. It's good to know there are people like you around to keep these two safe."   
"You are indeed Andy Fox," Phillip said, decidedly. He extended a hand. The fox took it, only reluctantly. He shook his head and smiled.   
"No. You've already met him," he replied, motioning to Arthur. "He's more real than me. Do me a favor and remind him of that now and then. I couldn't exist without him."   
The fox released Phillip's hand and turned to the quietly confused human sitting on a stool, but Arthur still couldn't speak. His eyes remained fixed on the toon fox, his throat unable to make a sound.   
Phillip retrieved the keys to the cage and opened it. The fox's attention shifted back to the two mice. "Let's just make sure you two are all okay before we go back. Don't want to catch any nasty magnetic fields or radiation." He reached his paws inside the cage to either side of the two mice. A gentle fizzing sound began to emanate from his paws as Pinky and The Brain began to glow with a curious green light.   
Arthur watched the fox intently, noticing that its green eyes were flashing rhythmically as the mice continued to glow and change color. "If he really is my other half," he thought silently, "how 'bout that 'guess a number' trick? I wonder if that would..."   
"Ninety-four," the fox spoke up suddenly, not turning to Arthur. "Two thirty-eight, one eighty-three, seven. You can't fool me, Arthur."   
Arthur sat upright, startled that the fox was speaking to him, and that he had guessed his numbers correctly. "Is he psychic?" Arthur thought. "He's psychic. He's just..."   
"I don't have to read your mind, Arthur," the fox said flatly, his attention still focused on the two mice. "It's my mind too."   
Arthur watched the toon fox moved with deliberate skill, appearing calm and in control as his paws moved around Pinky & The Brain, but for the first time Arthur began to notice the fox was trembling ever-so-slightly, his tail swishing almost nervously, his voice quavering very slightly. Arthur had also noticed that the fox seemed to be averting his eyes from him, only giving him passing glances. Putting it all together, Arthur suddenly realized: the toon fox was frightened--very frightened, at being there, being on Earth, at being with Arthur!   
The glowing around Pinky & The Brain and the sound ceased and the fox retracted his paws. "There is a slight anti-particle decay in both of you," he assessed. "I'd suggest, Brain, that if you attempt this experiment again, you do it with a negative feedback envelope rather than a positive one."   
"Yes," The Brain chided. "Noted for future reference, but I assure you this experiment will not be repeated."   
"Good to hear," the fox smiled, "because I won't come down here to save you two next time. Now if you'll come along."   
The fox extended a paw to the mice, palm open. The two stepped onto it as the fox lifted them out of the cage. "Come, Pinky," The Brain began chattering, "this two week sabbatical has put us off schedule. We must alter our plans to take over the world."   
The fox paused and scratched his chin. "Two weeks, huh?"   
The Brain looked back at Andy, slightly irritated. "What?"   
Andy faltered a bit. "Oh, well, nothing really." He turned and nodded to Phillip and the rest of the Fans of Science. "Thank you again, gentlemen," he said, dropping the two mice into an invisible pocket in his fur. Then his mood went from cheery to somber. His shoulders sagged as the inevitable action he must take loomed before him.   
"Arthur?" he said slowly, turning to the human. He looked quietly and kindly at Arthur, and Arthur could see that the fox was clearly scared. Cold beads of sweat dotted the toon's brow, his eyes now finally fixed upon the human that was his other half. Now after decades of separation, the toon and human finally confronted each other.   
The fox swallowed hard and took Arthur's hand in his paws. Arthur could feel the fox's muscles trembling and placed his other hand around the fox's to try and comfort him. The fox gave another hard swallow, his mouth dry. "One force, forever bound by eternity," he whispered shakily.   
Arthur remained silent, gently holding the paws of the cartoon fox, which seemed to have stopped their trembling. "Em... excuse me?" he asked, looking a bit bewildered.   
"Thank you," the fox said quietly. He released Arthur's hands.   
Arthur stared back at him, smiling weakly. "You'd better get home," he said quietly. "As you implied, this isn't _your_ universe." Despite his smile, there was a strong undertone of sadness in Arthur's voice, carrying a yearning desire to return with the fox--to return home.   
The fox laid a paw on Arthur's shoulder, understanding him implicitly. "You are wise," he agreed. This caught Arthur completely off-guard, and he couldn't help but snicker lightly. "You still don't believe I am you, do you?" the fox asked. "You think everything toony went back with me. You're quite wrong, Arthur. In fact you've got it quite backwards."   
"Backwards?" Arthur asked, clearly confused.   
"It's my fault," the fox admitted. "I've kept the truth from you."   
"Truth?"   
The fox nodded. "That you have the core, Arthur, of our energy force. It never left here. I've researched it all out... known it for years but kept the knowledge from you... until now. Now you know." He saw the confusion on Arthur's face and smiled warmly. The trembling was gone, his words now came soft and understanding.   
"You are the higher half, Arthur," he sighed. "Here you have powers beyond anything back home. You are in the world of the creators, Arthur. You walk among those who shape our world. Here, you are one of them." The fox looked down sheepishly. "You are in the land of the gods, Arthur, and I am but a tiny speck, not worthy of your presence."   
"But," Arthur began. "You have your powers. You..."   
"My powers are within you, Arthur," The fox interrupted. "I finally understand now. You are the source now, and that is why I need you here. You're a human--the human me. Do you know how much I cherish having part of myself here, able to be a part of this world?"   
Arthur stared blankly back, giving no reply. The fox continued. "You are priceless down here. You have no idea of the things and experiences you have here that do not exist back home."   
The next words the fox said to Arthur were not spoken, but were delivered directly to the human's mind as the fox gazed into the human's eyes. "You are the conduit of time, my friend. You are able to see things about myself... about _us_, that I cannot. I have given you the future that I cannot know. No doubt you have seen things that won't happen for decades. You are my eyes for the future, Arthur. Guide us well, and one day we will again be together, and whole again."   
Arthur's thoughts drifted and began to focus on a certain cartoon character he dearly loved. A tinge of panic struck him as he wondered how much he really knew about his other half's life in Toonity. Arthur hurriedly grasped the fox's paw and clasped it in his hand. Holding it longingly he looked at the fox, his thoughts conveying his question to the toon.   
The fox's eyes flashed and glittered curiously in the room's light. "She's fine," he smiled after a moment's pause. He rested a paw on Arthur's shoulder. "And, yes," he added, "It's all true. And, no, she never blamed you for what you did here. She loves you more than anything."   
"Me?"   
The fox nodded slowly. "You--me--there is no difference. Please remember that. Take care, Arthur, and thank you." He embraced Arthur in a warm hug, his small furry body snuggling up to the human, his paws wrapped tight around Arthur.   
Overwhelmed by the displayed affection of the small animal, at first Arthur stood rigidly, unable to believe something so furry and beautiful would want to hug a slightly overweight, middle-aged human who hadn't shaved in a few days. Slowly though, the fox's words began to sink in, and as he felt the fox's warm fur wrapped around him, be began to feel a new sense of kinship and odd sort of brotherhood to the toon. Putting his hesitations aside Arthur hugged the fox back, and was immediately lost in a wondrous sensation beyond any pleasure or joy he had ever known. Suddenly the world around him didn't matter anymore, and everything became clear and simple. The room and people around them dissolved into blackness. There was only one being, one life, one force, and for the briefest of moments, Andy Fox was whole once again.   
Arthur, with his arms around the small furry toon, whispered into ear, his final words to him: "You're not a speck, Andy. You are the part I left behind, and the part that needs to become whole. You are fox, now and forever. And you're right, I do know the future... and the decision you will have to make one day. On that day, you will have returned to that which you came."   
  
For over half of his life, Arthur had always been in the dark about something. There was always a part of him that was beyond his reach--something he could never touch, never feel, never get to know. Now that something had a shape, a form, and a voice somewhere in the vast expanse of space and dimension. As the fox took the two cartoon mice and disappeared in another shimmer of sparks and colored light, Arthur know that he was whole. And, he finally saw that he had a purpose. 


	17. Departure

CHAPTER 17: Departure

  
Slappy opened the front door of the mansion to see Andy standing outside. The fox looked completely drained and tired, but with a cheery and oddly tranquil expression on his face.   
"Fox!" Slappy gasped. "You look a wreck. What's the deal? Where've ya been?"   
"Don't ask," Andy said, stumbling in.   
"You're home earlier than expected," Slappy commented gruffly. "Fluffy said you'd be late. What's the deal?"   
"Trans-universe time differentials," Andy said, waving a paw as he walked in past her.   
"Ain't you forgettin' something, fox boy?" Slappy accused, scowling hard at Andy as he passed her. The fox felt her eyes on him and turned back. He smiled as he gazed at her ever-attractive squirrel body, and remembered Arthur's concern for her. He quickly scooped Slappy up on his arms and gave her a kiss. "God, I've missed you," he whispered into her fur.   
Pulling back, Slappy smiled. "Well, that was nice, but it ain't what I meant."   
Andy grumbled and dug out a small plastic shopping bag from his fur. The words, "Dynamite Emporium", were printed on it. He handed the bag to Slappy. She gave a squeal of pleasure and embraced the fox, giving him a kiss twice as passionate as the one he had given her.   
"Never saw anyone get so excited about explosives," Andy mused.   
"You haven't been around enough then, heh ha."   
  
A cloud-filled sky hung over Burbank as Andy stared blankly out across the yard into the darkening woods beyond. He thought about his meeting with Arthur. He remembered how at ease the human had been, while he had been a nervous wreck. He had walked in the land of the creators of his world. Since mankind first began to dream and wonder, the toon world has existed, both feeding off and replenishing the dreams and aspirations of mankind.   
He thought back to when he first visited Earth nearly 70 years before. Back then, it was just a simple planet, full of interesting people and ideas. Now after the passage of decades and becoming a toon himself, he finally saw that it had somehow become a much more special and sacred place. Since he had been split, he had been trying to hide from his human half in that place, hiding inside himself and pretending there was not a part of him in that grander world. Now that he had finally confronted his fear, an odd, giddy warmth had replaced the cold, chilling darkness in him. The channels between Arthur and Andy had been opened at last.   
"You're doin' that thing again, Fox," Slappy said, nudging Andy from his thoughts.   
"Hm?" Andy looked up with a bit of a start. "What thing?"   
Slappy selected a macadamia nut from a small crystal bowl of salted nuts on the table. She popped it into her mouth. "That 'sittin' quiet and contemplating somethin' thing," she remarked as she munched. "It's startin' to get annoying."   
The fox's voice was somber and tired. "I took the Nel-Shada test with the toons yesterday," be began, producing a folded piece of paper from his fur. "I ah...."   
"Eeeahhh," Slappy grumbled, going after an almond. "You're makin' a mountain outta a mole hill, aren't ya? You didn't do so good and now you're all bent outta shape about it."   
"Slappy," he started, his voice trembling slightly, "there's something I need..."   
Before he could finish, Slappy produced the gold medallion she had found on the bedroom dresser and placed it on the table in front of Andy. With a mix of confusion and bewilderment, Andy turned to look at Slappy, giving her a meek smile.   
"You, ah, need someone of animal lineage to perform the rite for you," she commented, attempting to sound dispassionate.   
Andy looked back at Slappy, completely awe-struck. "Slappy, I..."   
"Shut up, Fox," she said, taking his paw. "This has been eating at you for over a year, and it's time you did something about it before you drive everyone crazy with your brooding."   
"Are you sure, Slappy?" Andy asked, earnestly.   
Slappy shrugged innocently. "I told ya before, my family's got a strong natural animal vein runnin' through it, and it's not unheard of that new toons to our family end up taking the ritual when they join. Though, with you I'm afraid I can't take the credit for your action."   
"Then who?"   
Slappy cocked her thumb at the house. "Sorry to say, but it was that rabbit friend of yours." Slappy smiled and took Andy's paw. "He's connected with you on that very special, deep level of animal bonding doohickey stuff that those rare toons have--the ones who are natural, wild animal toons, but maybe just forgot, or never knew they were." She patted Andy's paw and dropped it casually. She stood facing him and chuckled slightly. "Fluffy's really stirred something in you, Fox."   
"So... what do we do now?" he asked, actually sounding a bit lost in the squirrel's presence.   
Slappy casually downed a small handful of cashews before wiping her paws. "C'm here," she ordered with her finger. She stood up on her deck chair to be eye-to-eye with Andy, the fox stepping up to face her. Then she took the small gold medallion and tied it around his neck by it's thin red ribbon. The medallion rested squarely against Andy's chest.   
Slappy smiled briefly at Andy and gave him a quick, nut-scented kiss. Her voice and expression then turned quite somber. "It'll take your mind, you know. You'll lose everything you know that ain't fox until it's over."   
"How long does it take?"   
"Hard to say," Slappy answered. "Could be days, could be weeks, as long as it needs to for the toon to find the answers he seeks."   
"What about Skippy?" Andy asked, a bit alarmed. The young squirrel in question was away that evening at a friend's house. "I wish he was here for this. I don't want to just leave..."   
Slappy cut him off. "ehhh, don't worry about him. He knows about the ritual. He'll understand, Fox, and he'll wait for you, just like I will. For as long as it takes, we'll wait here for you."   
Andy looked at the mansion, then back to Slappy. "Take... care of Fluffy, won't you?" he said, his voice quivering with anticipated loss. "Tell him... tell him it wasn't his fault."   
Slappy nodded. "Sure, Fox." Then she hopped down from the chair and held her hands aloft. She paused, looking up at Andy. "This is the dramatic part," she commented. The fox gave a solemn nod and stood quietly. The squirrel gazed skyward and began speaking in the ancient, lost tongue of toons from centuries past:   
_   
Nin-fai con tunun ker, et lo Frith.   
Sinom oto lo men oto, e fonochtia cone nisha.   
Net a, so a, le a, un nesh oto, oco et Nel-shada.   
kali no a, en fraer costra'c ser Frith, e semplar oto.*_   
  
As she completed the ancient chant, the medallion suddenly vanished, seeming to melt into Andy's fur, ribbon and all. Then a dazzling glow filled the sky above the two toons. Andy shivered slightly as he watched, beads of cold sweat forming down his back. For all of known science and physics, what he was now witnessing could not be explained, could not be quantified, could not be understood. It was beyond science--beyond the world around him, and he suddenly felt very old, very lost, and a strong, very ancient presence begin to fill his mind as his eyes gazed into the light.   
Slappy watched silently as the fox before her slowly grew smaller, stooping forward as his legs changed, his arms growing shorter. His fingers shrunk and dissolved into short, blunt stubs of paws. He dropped to all fours, his body continuing to shrink and change shape and color, moving and shifting until there was only a natural, non-anthropomorphic fox standing on the deck, illuminated by the odd glowing light from above. Before the last shreds of his civilized mind were stripped away, the fox turned and gave one last, loving look at Slappy, a tear trickling down one cheek. Then his eyes glazed over and became thin, yellow ovals with tiny black slits.   
Slappy watched rigidly as the fox that was once her husband turned and bounded off the patio deck, away from the house and into the woods. At the edge of the tree line, the fox suddenly stopped and turned to look back. Slappy perked up slightly, meeting the fox's glance, hoping the fox she knew was not completely gone, but her heart quickly sank as she saw that the fox had only turned at the sound of a chipmunk scurrying up a nearby tree. The fox's face was expressionless and wild, and Slappy saw the feral viciousness and freedom surging through its eyes. She sank back into her chair as the fox disappeared into the woods. "Good luck, kid," she muttered.   
Then, the elderly gray squirrel glanced around silently before letting her cool and calm expression finally crumble. Folding her arms on the table she buried her head in them and sobbed gently.   
Thus began Andy's Rite of Passage.   
  
  
To Be Continued...   
  
* Footnote: Translated, the rite reads as follows:_   
O master of our world, this one is alone and has lost his way.   
Shroud him in the past of his future, and help him to see his world.   
Take him into your forest, sea, or sky, and bring him the kinship he seeks.   
Take him into your heart, O master of animals, and make him whole._


	18. Part IV: Graduation

CHAPTER 18: Graduation

  
"So, em... Brain?"   
"What is it, Pinky?"   
"Was the experiment a success then?"   
The Brain fixed Pinky with a hard, cold stare, the impact of which was completely lost on the simple-minded mouse. "No, Pinky," he sighed. "But fear not, for tomorrow night we shall endeavor yet again. I've been analyzing some very interesting trends in the marketing data of the Acme Corporation, and I believe we can..."   
The Brain's words were cut off as Ed Puma grasped the two mice and placed them into a familiar metal cage. "Sorry, Brain," he began. "No experiments for you until you help us de-ionize lab room 3 from that little experiment of yours last week. You know the rules of the lab: you clean up what you make."   
"Last week?" The Brain looked confused. "But... we were away for two weeks."   
"Not according to our clocks, Mr. Mouse," Ed said casually, picking up the cage with the two mice in it and proceeding down a hallway. "Maybe you should go study up on the Earth time/Toon time differential graphs. It averaged 1.93 to 1 while you were, em... sight-seeing."   
"Pinky," asked The Brain, turning to his cage-mate, "do you know what this means?"   
"Em... it means we still have time to register for the super grand prize drawing for the shopping spree at the International House of Cheese?"   
The Brain, caught off-guard, pondered for a moment. "Yes," he admitted, "but, it also means we have a whole new week to spend devising plans to take over the world!"   
"Em... so that's what we're going to to tonight, Brain?" Pinky asked, hopefully.   
"Yes!" The Brain said emphatically. Then, catching a stern look from the puma he added, "After we clean the lab."   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
For the rest of the week, life went on pretty much as normal for the residents of Acme Acres. The Tiny Toons' finals were over, and they were able to finally begin winding down as their graduation day arrived. And yet, even after spending several years at the Loo, the toons all still looked as young and lively as ever, even as they donned their blue graduation robes.   
"This is the coolest ever!" Buster commented with great excitement to the others. There were cheers and applauses of agreement as they all talked excitedly amongst themselves. They all stood waiting inside a windowed hallway in the Looniversity, to be ushered out to in front of the bleachers where they would receive their diplomas. The toons looked through the glass to the assembled attendants: parents, family, and friends were all there, gathered for the momentous occasion of the graduation of the Tiny Toons from Acme Looniversity. The Looniversity professors stood alongside the platform, dressed in black robes, looking very distinguished and proud. However, to the close observer, traces of melancholy could be seen on some of their faces.   
Nervous anxiety and barely contained excitement ripped first one way, than the other through the group of Tiny Toons as they giggled and snickered with each other in anticipation, so much so that Elmer Fudd's harsh whisper to be quiet had to be repeated several times. "Aw wight, you kids! Qwiet! Come on, now. It's time to go out. Remember to look pwofessional and nice. You are wepwesenting the Woo and your mentors. Now make your pawests pwoud, just wike you make us."   
The toons were led outside from the hallway to the raised platform positioned in front of the bleachers. The toons glanced cautiously to the assemblage, picking out their parents or friends they had invited. Some of the audience members waved back at the toons, causing a few to squirm and get jostled by the other Tiny Toons.   
Elmer returned to his place back in line with the rest of the mentors, as Bugs left to take his place upon the platform. He shuffled over to the microphone which had been placed at its center.   
"We is gathered here today to honor da graduation of sixteen of da finest students to ever pass through da doorways of Acme Looniversity--da Tiny Toons. For da past several years, these fine students have, at times, tried our patience, insisting on blowing da roof off da gymnasium, toining da entire foist floor into a swinnin' pool, and dropping pianos from da clock tower."   
The audience laughed softly as Bugs spoke, the Tiny Toons snickering and some trying to hide behind others as their particular deeds were uncovered.   
"But threw it all," Bugs continued, "they have proven that they are da very essence of cartoon comedy. We send dis class of toons out into da world today, armed with their unique gifts, strength, and fortitude to make their own decisions in life, to make themselves and our world da best they cam be!"   
One by one, Bugs called out the names of the Tiny Toons, and one by one, they solemnly walked over to meet him: Sneezer Mouse, excelling in comedic slapstick and world languages; Calamity Coyote, graduate of explosives, engineering, and physical sciences; Fifi La Fume, world languages, visual gags and biology; Hamton J. Pig, Life Sciences, and comedic side-kicks studies; Elmyra Duff, excelling in toon biology, anatomy, animal and behavioral sciences; Montana Max, economics, evil villains--accelerated program, and calculus; Shirley The Loon, metaphysics, physical sciences major, and the only toon to receive certificate of achievement in psychic abilities; Plucky Duck, Athletics and Sociology; Babs Bunny, Music, Sociology, and excelling in wild takes and advanced physical comedy; Buster Bunny, graduate of cartoon physics, general comedy, animal sciences, advanced humor studies, and majoring in both visual and spontaneous gag comedy, and of course all the rest.   
Bugs handed each one his or her diplomas and greeted them with a firm handshake while the audience looked on, clapping for each toon, myriad of camera flashes lit up the scene. When the last Tiny Toon had received his diploma Bugs turned back to the audience.   
"Assembled guests, parents, fellow mentors, and friends. I give you da class of two thousand and one!"   
A tremendous cheer went up from the audience, accompanied by sixteen emery boards flying high into the blue sky, their gold tassels streaming wildly behind them through the air.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
North and west of the Looniversity, in a large brick mansion, Skippy and Fluffy were lying sprawled out on the floor, a checkerboard laid out between them. Checkers, as it turned out, was a game that was well suited to the large jack rabbit, as it requires no reading, but only strategy. And, its logic is nowhere near as demanding and complex as say, chess, a game that despite his kind heart and honest intentions, Fluffy would never have the brain power to comprehend.   
"King me!" Skippy exclaimed, suddenly perking up from the relatively glum expression he had been developing over the past week. He pushed his black checker to the opposite site of the board.   
"Humph," Fluffy grunted contemptuously. "Rotten little bugger."   
Skippy puffed his chest out proudly. "Just _try_ and win now, rabbit!"   
Fluffy muttered something only a rabbit could understand and gently pushed one of his red checkers with his paw. Still caught up him his king-ness, Skippy made his next move, capturing another of Fluffy's checkers.   
"I say! Stop that!" Fluffy protested, cuffing Skippy playfully on the side, and sending the brown squirrel into a giggle fit.   
Fluffy eyed the little scamp of a squirrel. He was happy to see his young playmate smiling again. However, with a crooked little smirk on his face, he decided the little ruffian needed to be taught a lesson in checkers. He pushed one of his checkers, also a king, in line between two of Skippy's, putting himself in a position to take at least three of Skippy's checkers no matter what move Skippy made. "There now, lad," he said smartly. "Bit of a spot you're in, wot?"   
Skippy's eyes dropped down to eye the predicament on the board while Fluffy chuckled softly. "Hey," Skippy said accusingly. "No fair!"   
Fluffy only smiled back and shrugged innocently. Skippy grumbled and slid a checker away from Fluffy's.   
"So what are you going to do with yourself all summer, Skippy?" Fluffy asked, awkwardly lifting his checker with his paw and jumping over several of Skippy's checkers.   
"Well, I'm not going to spend it losing at checkers to a rabbit!" he remarked grumpily as he watched a large white paw sweep three of his checkers off the board. Fluffy looked over at Skippy, a bit hurt at his remark. "Just kidding," Skippy admitted, abandoning the game and crawling over to give Fluffy a friendly hug. "I like having someone to play with."   
"Your uncle often says the same thing to me," Fluffy commented.   
Skippy began putting the checkerboard away. "When do you think he'll be back?" he asked, not expecting the rabbit to know, but just needing someone to ask.   
"Oh, I expect he should be back soon." Fluffy rolled over and stretched his large hind legs into the air. "What do you say I take you down the park and get you a walnut ice cream?"   
"Weelll," Skippy pondered, "okay!" He returned the checkers and board to their box and walked over to Fluffy's side. The rabbit stood up, out of reach for Skippy to mount him.   
"Hey, C'mon," the young squirrel protested.   
"Ah-ah-ah," Fluffy chided. "Bridle."   
Skippy persisted. "But I don't need that to ride you. You know the way."   
"It's for your safety, lad. You need something to hold on to besides my collar. Besides, it's your aunt and uncle's order. That's why your uncle has been riding me with it lately--so I can get into practice again."   
Skippy stuffed his paws in his pockets and kicked at the carpet. "He doesn't need a bridle to ride you."   
"No, he doesn't," Fluffy snapped, "but he's also a lot bigger than you, lad... wouldn't be much of a fall for him--if he ever were to fall. Now, I'm not going to argue this with you anymore. Yes..." Fluffy paused, seeming to search the ceiling for the correct words. "That's it, I believe... yes. I'm putting my foot down." There was a loud thud as Fluffy carried out his declaration and the floor shook from the impact of his right hind foot upon it.   
Skippy reluctantly went over and took Fluffy's bridle down from where it hung from a peg on the wall. Fluffy bowed his head and Skippy fastened the bridle on him. "I just feel guilty making you wear it is all," he muttered, "especially now that you can talk and what you said..." He stopped himself and shrugged. "It seems... weird."   
Fluffy's body shook with hearty laugher. "Lad," he chuckled. "In case this saddle I'm wearing has somehow escaped your notice, I'm a carousel animal, and I don't mind wearing it at all--especially when it keeps a good friend safe when he's riding me. 'Sides," he added a bit cheekily, "you don't seem to mind riding your uncle with one."   
Caught by surprise, Skippy froze for a moment. "Well... that's different. He's my uncle." He giggled a bit awkwardly. "He gives my aunt Slappy rides to work all the time, but with you... everything seems more serious somehow--because its what you are I guess."   
Fluffy shook his head. "We both do it for the same reasons, lad."   
Skippy gazed up at Fluffy. "Are you sure?"   
Fluffy gave Skippy a secretive wink. "Sure as grass is green," he said warmly, touching a paw to Skippy's cheek. "And, I could always talk, lad. You just couldn't hear me." With that, he knelt down and Skippy climbed aboard.   
"Aunt Slappy," called Skippy, passing by her as she sat in one of the reading rooms, "me and Fluffy are going down to the park for a little while."   
"Knock yourselves out," she called back, "but he back by five!"   
"Okay, Aunt Slappy!"   
Slappy glanced out the window next to her to see Skippy and Fluffy crossing the front yard. She gave a satisfied smile and returned to her explosives catalog. She picked up a large red marker and drew a circle around item #284, "Acme's extra-large assortment of black ball bombs. Loads of fun for all occasions. Quantity discounts available." 


	19. From Beyond

CHAPTER 19: From Beyond

  
A pair of gold, cat-like eyes glinted in the dim evening light as a small shrew made its way through the forest undergrowth. It paused and checked around at regular intervals, whiskers and ears twitching nervously as it continued on its way. The pair of eyes continued to silently watch the tiny mammal from behind a cover of leaves.   
The evening was still and cool, with only the slightest hint of a breeze gently winding its way through the trees. The air was fragrant with the smells of summer blooms and thick foliage. Under these, the less perceptible musks and scents of dozens of woodland inhabitants could be found, hanging heavy in the air like a fog on a damp morning. Now and again a woodpecker broke the relative quiet of the woods in his search for a meal, or a squirrel would dart up a tree and along a branch, causing a light rustle of leaves. The shrew continued on along the ground under the forest canopy, its ears alert to the sounds around it, its tiny nose picking up a kaleidoscope of smells.   
Suddenly in a flurry of leaves and brush, a large shape shot out from the bushes and pounced upon the shrew, swiftly silencing the small animal forever. With a satisfied look, a fox trotted off with his dinner. Granted it wasn't a very large one, but then, the fox wasn't choosy, and would soon be hunting again for his next meal.   
The setting sun's red light occasionally made its way through the thick foliage to cast it's glow upon the fox's pumpkin-colored fur as he made his way through the woods to his den. As he sat enjoying his meal, he did not notice the approach of a second fox. This second fox's fur had just the faintest odd shimmer to it, the tip of its ears and tail seeming to glimmer eerily in the dim evening light.   
"My friend," it asked to the first fox, "what you doing here?"   
The first fox glared briefly up at the stranger. "Eating," he replied.   
"I see," the second fox said thoughtfully. "These woods... they are your home, then?"   
"Yes," the first fox answered, paying little attention to the inquisitive stranger.   
The second fox, apparently satisfied with the answer, sat down on his haunches and waited patiently for the first fox to complete his meal. "Tell me," it asked eventually, "have you always lived in these woods?"   
The first fox licked his lips from his meal. "Of course."   
"I see," the second fox said, again in a thoughtful tone. "And, are you sure about that?"   
The first fox looked back with confusion. "What do you mean?"   
"I mean," the second fox began, moving closer and sitting next to the first fox, "that you do not belong here."   
It was only with the second fox's new proximity that the first fox was able to notice the odd scent coming from it. It was oddly weak, and seemed to carry not only the scent of a fox, but of several other animals as well, all mixed and blended. The first fox blinked curiously, noticing the other fox's strangely shimmering fur. "This is my den," he shrugged honestly. "It has been for many seasons. I've never had anyone dispute me over it."   
"Nevertheless," the second fox said quietly, "you do not belong out here when there are two squirrels who miss you very much."   
"Squirrels?" The first fox looked back with a start. "I don't know any squirrels. Why would I?"   
The second fox chuckled warmly. "No, I suppose you don't." He placed one of his forepaws on top of the first fox's. "I think we can give you back your memories now."   
The first fox shuddered slightly then, his ears splaying as he suddenly felt the urge to yawn. He closed his eyes briefly as he did so, and when he opened them again they had changed color, and were now a bright green hue. The fox shook his head and blinked, a swirl of uncovered memories and feelings resurfacing to fill his mind, causing him to feel slightly dizzy and sick. His gaze wavered as the dizziness in his head made the world swim and tilt around him in a stormy sea of colors. After several seconds, the dizziness began to slowly ebb away, and clarity returned to the fox's mind. He turned and looked at the second fox, seeming to now see everything around him for the first time. His jaw opened slightly as he now realized who exactly was sitting with him. He lowered his head to his paws in a bow.   
The second fox regarded him with a kind look. "It has been a week, my friend. Your quest here is at an end. What you seek... lies elsewhere."   
The first fox looked across to him, disheartened and feeling somehow cheated. The second fox seemed to sense this. It removed its paw from his and stood up, walking out to face the him.   
"Your animal spirit was never in question," it explained, trying to sound comforting. "You have always had the heart and mind of a fox within you, otherwise you would not have lasted an entire week out here. You've been" a rather crafty fox as I hear it, but it is time for you to return."   
The first fox looked down again, then his head shot up with alarm as he saw the traces of blood from his just-finished dinner. "Oh God," he said, shakily. "I hope I didn't... I mean... Oh, dear God. I haven't been killing, have I? I mean..." He looked in shock and worry at the second fox. "I... have friends here... Oh no! Did I..."   
The second fox grinned oddly, giving the first fox an uneasy feeling. "Oh, no no no," he assured. "You are a fox, not a monster. Even The Rite cannot take away your sense of right and wrong, or the memories of who is a friend, and who is not."   
"But..." The first fox said, looking at the red stains upon the ground where the shrew had been, a faint taste from the wild kill lingering in his mouth.   
"Each creature has its own life to live," the second fox told him. "There are things here in this place that you still do not understand, my friend. One distant day you will, and you'll come to find that no harm has occurred here. There are no endings, only changes. You, yourself, are proof of that."   
The first fox lowered his head. "So, I have failed The Rite?"   
"On the contrary," the second fox answered. "Your rite of passage ended before it even began."   
"What?"   
The second fox chuckled oddly then. "It is, perhaps, a fortunate happenstance that you were to go to Earth and retrieve the two mice. When you took the hand of your other half, and he your paw, the two of you become one once more."   
The first fox looked back, astonished. The second fox saw his concern and nodded. "Yes, I am aware of these things. There is indeed a fox within you, my friend. It gave you the strength to take the journey, and face your other half, who gave you a strength you have always possessed, and the truth and knowledge that you had been seeking, though you still refuse to accept it."   
"Accept what?" the first fox asked.   
"You are a 'receiver', my friend, a being born of the cosmos who has been endowed with the ancient powers and knowledge of the universe. For eons the power had passed from one receiver to another, each to do with it as their destiny wills, to decide for itself what type of being it wishes to become. The powers are then passed on to another who is destined to receive them. This, my friend, is your heritage, and your destiny. In all of the cosmos, dimensions, and worlds in existence, you have been drawn to this one by a special force that goes beyond the physical and have chosen it as your home, but your spirit still remains distant--ungraspable amid the drifting currents and eddys of the cosmos from which you came."   
"...she said she knew about my family... that I was a stranger in 'spirit only'," the fox muttered. "Lady Amber--she told me that."   
The second fox nodded knowingly. "Yes. She knew, as many animals do, that you are more than what can be seen."   
"But, I am a toon now," the first fox insisted. "My body..."   
"You are a toon in body and mind, yes. However, your spirit still remains free and unanchored. One final decision--one final action remains. You now have a family to share this world with--a special family where all are all descendents of natural animals. The squirrel you are with... her family is a very special one, full of natural toon animals. It was not fate that brought you two together. Across the boundless reaches of the dimensions you found each other, drawn as your two halves longed to be whole. You have given her the life she had always wanted, and she has given you your path to your own future. The rabbit living with you has helped as well. You have become his most cherished friend in this world. He too, has given you a path."   
"One day, you will join your family and this world in spirit as well," the fox concluded, "but this is not how to do it. This was only a step along your final path. You already know what must be done, my friend, but you are afraid to face it. You will face sadness and pain before you finally discover the answer. When you do, and make the decision, only then will you be forever bound to this world, and only then will it be your true home."   
"Do..." the first fox began. He hesitated to ask the one question that had plagued him all his life. He looked at the ground, then away, and finally back to the second fox.   
"Go ahead," the second fox encouraged, his ears turning to hear.   
"Do you... know where I came from? I mean... can you tell me about... my family? Were they where I got my powers from?"   
The second fox looked tired then, his head hanging down slightly. He turned and looked away to where a small tree lizard was scurrying across the ground. "That... I cannot tell you," he responded distantly, traces of regret in his words. "For, just as your past is shrouded in mist and fog from you, so it is from me. I am sorry, my friend," he added, looking back apologetically, "but some things must be revealed in their own time, and sometimes, not at all."   
Both foxes remained silent for several minutes, each lost in the small closed world of the cosmos in their two minds as the world slowly revolved around them--faded, darkened, and dream-like.   
"Then..." the first fox began slowly, remembering how Slappy had commented on her mother's newfound tree climbing abilities after taking The Rite, and suddenly feeling an odd and unjust sense of loss, asked, "I am to receive nothing?"   
The second fox looked at him oddly. "The rite of passage itself does not change a toon. Only a toon can change himself. The rite is here to help you find your path."   
The first fox cowered and bowed his head to the ground in deep apology and shame for being so bold and selfish. The second fox turned away, pretending to be unswayed by the action. "Well..." it thought aloud.   
The first fox crept over to the second. Touching his nose to the other's right paw he spoke timidly. "En nolish mala, ser Frith."   
The second fox turned back to face the first. It bent down and gave him an affectionate lick on his brow. "It's quite all right. Your apology is not necessary. However, perhaps we can give you a small... gift."   
  
The evening had turned into twilight as the warmth of the day slipped away into the cooling air. Moisture condensing out of the air formed a thin haze along the low banks of the river through the woods where Andy had met Lady Amber--so long ago it seemed to him, the memory now veiled in clouds of lost memories and confused times. Insects took to the air, ever in search for a meal, and the sound of crickets began to fill the still night air, echoing in amongst the trees and undergrowth as, through a mist of confused memories and forgotten feelings, a figure slowly made his way out of the woods and across a large back yard of full green lawn, to the back door of a large brick mansion. 


	20. Return From The Woods

CHAPTER 20: Return From The Woods

  
There was a light knock at the back patio window, then...   
"...Andy!"   
The word came, rolling out upon a sigh of happy welcome and grateful return. Slappy jumped up and wrapped herself around her husband's body, melting into it like it was a warm, comfortable blanket, her paws filling with wads of soft red fur as she clung to him tightly. She buried her face in his side and gave a deep audible sigh, re-affirming that the warm furry body was real by squeezing it tightly with her arms, legs, and tail. Her feelings were returned as she felt Andy's paws wrapping around her back to embrace her back, completing the warm glow of love and tenderness that was enveloping her.   
"Hello, Slappy," he said in a low and warm tone that send waves of comfort through the squirrel at hearing it. Slappy looked up at Andy's face, her white cheeks matted with tears running from her eyes. She opened her mouth, but no words came out, her eyes suggesting an odd, pleading and desperate nature to them. Andy nuzzled her ear and brought his lips to hers, and never before had the two toons realized their love for each other more than those few moments, and all of Andy's vast powers would never compare with the warm feeling of his wife in his arms.   
Smiling, Slappy looked into Andy's large green eyes. "I... you don't know how long I... em..." Her words faltered as she sobbed quietly. "I love you, Andy. Glad... glad you're back."   
Stumbling slightly, Andy made his way inside the mansion, Slappy still locked in her hold around his middle. He made his way through the kitchen and stopped as his eyes met Skippy's. He knelt down and stretched out a free arm to the beaming squirrel, who ran over and embraced him almost as tightly as Slappy had. Looking beyond the two squirrels in his arms, Andy saw a third figure standing quietly off to the side in the shadows. "Hello, fox," came a deep, familiar voice. The two squirrels released Andy, and he walked slowly over to the figure, who stepped forward to meet him, his green and white pendent shimmering slightly.   
"Hello, rabbit," Andy said back, wrapping an arm around Fluffy and hugging him tightly as Fluffy nuzzled his chest back.   
Momentarily, Andy began to feel eyes upon him. He turned to see Slappy and Skippy both staring perplexedly at him.   
"Fox," Slappy gasped slightly,   
Andy looked back, confused. "What?"   
Slappy's tongue was hanging out slightly, her eyeballs momentarily changing to little red hearts. "Oh, my man!"   
Andy stood, still unsure of what she was going on about. "Em... yes?"   
The squirrel began to snicker. She waved her paw dismissively. "Nothing," she giggled.   
Andy scowled back. He looked over to Skippy, who was busy trying to hide a grin. He looked back to Slappy and repeated, "What?"   
Slappy covered her mouth with one paw and giggled into it, pointing with her other paw to the fox's legs. Andy peered down at himself for the first time and gave a small _*eek*_ of surprise. His haunches and thighs were now considerably wider and thicker than before, bowing out slightly to give him a sturdy stance, and resembling the look of a normal quadruped animal's haunches, while his feet had remained unchanged, his heels still planted firmly upon the floor.   
"What the..." he began, looking down. "I, uh... I didn't do it!" he protested, a bit panicked.   
"Heh ha!" Slappy laughed, almost falling over. "Way to go, Fox! You really musta' had a good time. Heh ha!"   
"But I..." Andy stammered, examining his husky muscles. "Crimany!"   
Slappy continued to snicker with happiness, finding the fox's new red bushy furred lower quarters very attractive. "My mom got dexterous paws, and my husband gets a set of vulpine haunches and a pelvic bone adjustment. Heh ha." She paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up with an idea. "Say, lemme see somethin." She sprinted over and leapt up on Andy's back. As the fox was knocked down on all fours, only then did he suddenly realize the benefits and purpose of the "gift" he had been given as, on all fours, his new physique allowed his feet to stand digitigrade on the floor, with knees slightly bent and heels raised and only his toes touching the ground, again, as a normal fox. The position was never uncomfortable for him, but now it felt downright natural, and quite agreeable.   
"Oh no. You've got to be kidding," he muttered, still smirking and shaking his head. "That bloody..."   
Slappy lit up with pleasure. "Woo-hoo!" She cried, bouncing up and down to test Andy's new "shocks". "New and improved Andy Fox!" she cried out.   
Andy raised and lowered his feet experimentally and scowled slightly. "I take an ancient toon rite and this is what I get?"   
Slappy slid off of Andy's back and took his cheeks in her paws. "Yeah. You got re-drawn to be a more natural fox--my big, strong, handsome fox. It's a very private blessing from the higher powers. Enjoy it."   
Andy felt Slappy's fingers stroking his back and the smile returned to his face. Suddenly his stomach began to rumble quietly. Slappy gave him a quick peck on the cheek and straightened up. "All right, kids," she ordered, paws on hips and looking directly to Skippy and Fluffy, "go off and play or somethin'. I need to make this fox here some supper." Skippy and Fluffy eyed each other and ran off into the game room.   
"God knows what you've had for dinner the last week," Slappy muttered aloud, brooding like a mother over an unkempt child. "Go sit down and I'll get ya somethin' that you won't have to chase down first, heh ha."   
Andy went out to the patio table and sat down, the familiar smells of food being cooked drifting out to meet his nostrils as he shifted around in his chair, trying to become accustomed to his new vulpine haunches. A gentle rustling of leaves from across the yard caught his ears. He turned and saw, barely perceivable, a pair of dark eyes peering at him from behind the foliage at the edge of the yard. The eyes, accented by the white stripes of fur of a badger's head, quietly conveyed a message of happiness and warmth at his return. Andy silently raised a paw and waved back at the pair of eyes, which remained a few moments more before disappearing back into the darkness of the woods.   
Eventually Slappy came out to join him, setting a plate before him containing a small pork steak smothered in a nut sauce she had invented herself. Andy looked up at Slappy with wide eyes. "Yeah, well," she shrugged, "bein' as it's a special occasion and all, I do know a few carnivorous recipes, heh ha."   
Andy smiled meekly and began in on his dinner.   
"Maybe we can test those new shocks of yours tonight at the Loo," Slappy began, casually.   
Andy looked back, a bit lost. "What?"   
Slappy gave him a conk on his head. "It's June 5th. The Tiny Toons graduated this afternoon, remember? And we're workin' security at the Loo tonight at their all-night party. I was almost ready to call in and cancel if you didn't show up in the next hour or so."   
Andy's expression fell as he looked down at the table. "Yes... the graduation--shoot. I really wanted to be there for that."   
"You can watch the tape of the ceremony later," Slappy quipped.   
Andy nodded. "Suddenly time has jumped ahead a week around me. I, em... how have you been, Slappy?" he asked, taking his wife's paw comfortingly.   
Slappy shrugged dismissively. "Same old, same old. Work, studio idiots... Skippy's been kept entertained by Fluffy."   
Andy smiled. "Those two have really hit it off, haven't they?"   
"Well, now that they can both talk to each other," Slappy answered. "Skippy's been chattering Fluffy's ears off. The two invented some odd game of tag. I donno... they seem happy to me. That's all I care about."   
Andy chuckled to himself. "Fluffy never had any trouble understanding Skippy before. He always liked Skippy. They are good play mates."   
"Daffy stopped by Tuesday to borrow your lawn mower," Slappy continued, reciting the week's events. "Oh, and you got a letter from Acme Labs... something about thanking you for the return of two mice. Um..." She paused for a moment, trying to remember something. "Uh, yeah," she finished, digging a small stone out of her pocket and handing it to Andy. It was an ordinary looking piece of gray rock perhaps three or four inches across. One side was completely flat, and a very detailed picture of an oak tree had been meticulously carved into it, along with a jumble of odd squiggles and shapes at the bottom. "Found it on the deck one afternoon," Slappy explained. "I ah... can't read what's on it."   
Andy peered at the stone and nodded. "It's from Lady Amber--a token of thanks and respect for my services the other night." He tossed the small object into the air and was about to pocket it when his eyes spotted a small collection of marks carved into the side of the small stone. He scowled as he looked at them. Then he made a contemptuous grunt and stuffed the item in his pocket. "Know-it-all ferret," he muttered under his breath.   
He went back to his meal. Suddenly he paused again and looked quizzically at a piece of steak on his fork.   
"What?" Slappy asked. "Did I overcook it?"   
"I've robbed you of your naturalness," he said heavily. "Taken one more delicate layer of your beauty away."   
"Oh, please," grumbled Slappy irritably. She took Andy's chin and lifted his face to meet hers. "Didn't you learn anything from this little junket? Animal is up here," she said, poking his head with a finger, "not in where you live, or what you do for a living. Up here is where it matters. It's how you are to yourself in your own mind. I chose to live my life with a fox, and if he eats meat, then I'll cook him meat, but that doesn't make me any less of a squirrel. If I wanted a squirrel I would have married a squirrel--but I didn't. I wanted a fox."   
"A fox who lives in a mansion instead of a den?"   
"Dens come in different shapes. Maybe yours looks a bit different, but your heart is the same as the foxes out there. I know that." She laid her paw on his and squeezed it.   
"Well, are you sure you wouldn't rather want, ah..." Andy dug in his fur and produced about a hundred pages of paper stapled together. He continued, reading from it, "...retirement in a giant acorn tree."   
"Gimme that." Slappy grabbed the script from Wakko's Wish from Andy's paw and flung it away. "I'm happy right where I am."   
"So you don't need glasses either then?" Andy asked innocently. Slappy gave him his answer by precisely aiming a paw at his nose.   
"'Nuff said," Andy quickly insisted.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
"Let the festivities begin!" was the word Bugs had given, and so they did--and how. Following the Tiny Toons' graduation ceremony, a post-graduation all-night party was in full swing at the Loo. Along with the Tiny Toons' class, nearly a hundred other toons had graduated that week, and all mingled gaily together, their final farewell to their education from Acme Looniversity.   
With the exception one wing of the main campus building, the entire campus, the gyms, cafeteria, athletics fields, theater building, and clock tower were all open to them, decorated with streamers and balloons. The party was a lock-in event, and volunteers from the Looniversity staff and parents of the students worked to keep everything going smoothly. Some worked security along the perimeter of the Looniversity campus, keeping any ruffians from entering, or any class members from leaving. From six o'clock PM to eight the next morning, the class of two thousand and one was the Looniversity's responsibility--a final gift to the young leaders of tomorrow.   
Of course, it wasn't like there was nothing to do inside the Loo. On the contrary. The gyms were the central party zones, with loud music and wild flashing lights sending the toons into energetic state of dancing. Several of the class rooms has been turned into make-shift game rooms, with foosball and pool tables brought in. Another room had been turned into a multi-player computer video game competition arena. A third had had several large couches and chairs brought in to serve as a quiet place for toons to relax and take a break from the festivities. Outside on the Loo's small baseball field, several inter-class competitions had been scheduled, giving everyone a chance to turn any excess energy into home runs and fly balls.   
Mountains of catered food were brought in and set up in the Looniversity cafeteria, marking the one day of the year that edible food could be found there. And, down in the film vault, video compilations of highlights and academic achievements during their school years played to laughing audiences. And if that weren't enough, several entertainers had been brought in, including improv comedy by Robin Killems and live music by several local bands. All in all, it was turning out to be a spectacular time had by all, even the volunteer staff and parents, who couldn't help but sneak nibbles of the complementary food or steal a peek at the shows.   
Fifi La Fume was relaxing in a folding chair near the cafeteria door, a glass of punch in her paw as she and Mary Melody surveyed the scene. It was around eleven o'clock and the all-night party was in full swing. Many of those that had been partying full-force since six o'clock were still going strong, running rampant around the Looniversity campus with squirt guns and mallets, while others had decided to take a small breather before continuing on with the remainder of the night.   
Across the room from the skunk and young girl, two food caterers were bringing out a new platter filled with cocktail shrimp and crackers topped with crab and lobster pate.   
"Do you see zat one skunk over zere weeth zee seafood?" Fifi asked, nudging Mary. The brunet looked up from her own plate of food across to the blue-furred skunk Fifi had indicated.   
"Yeah," she shrugged. "He's kinda cute."   
"Ee 'as been watching me ever since I came in 'ere," said Fifi, looking thoughtful. "'e acts que strange, no? I wonder eef 'e eez really part of zee catering staff."   
Mary returned to her food. "Eh. He's probably just never seen a purple skunk before."   
The blue skunk had placed his tray of food on the buffet table, and began placing some napkins around it in a decorative pattern, always managing to keep one eye on the lavender skunkette. Fifi returned the skunk's gaze with a simple smile and polite wave. Her action was sufficient to send the blue skunk into a mild hypnotic state. His tail frizzed out like a surfboard behind him, and he absent-mindedly began re-filling the punch bowl with coffee.   
Another food caterer yelled to him from the kitchen. "Hey, eejit! Get yer bloody tail back in here and help with the chicken wings!" The blue skunk snapped out of his temporary love trance, nervously smiled his farewell to Fifi, and scurried back into the kitchen.   
  
Outside the cafeteria, Winnie and Wade, Hamton's parents, stood watching the east entrance to the Loo. Wade yawned, his sleepy eyes watching for any stragglers or party crashers. "Those kids can sure throw a party."   
Winnie nudged him back to alertness. "Oh, Wade. They're just having fun. It's the biggest event in their lives so far, you know."   
Wade yawned again. "I remember my graduation day," he mused. "Our party was about six of us going out to eat at White Castle. Mmheh heh."   
Winnie sighed. "Our son's all grown up. Pretty soon he'll go off and start his own life, find someone special... start his own family."   
Wade wrapped a comforting arm around his wife, glancing at his watch as he did so. "Sheesh. When are those second-shift parents gonna come and relieve us? It's ten past eleven."   
"Never fear!" came a voice from behind them. The couple turned with a start to see a fox and squirrel approaching. The two were decked out in highly elaborate and ornate dressage for the gala event. The fox, standing on all fours, wore a colorful set of riding tack, with an ornately decorated saddle atop a lavish royal blue blanket complete with golden tassels. A set of embroidered reins attached to a jeweled bridle on the fox's head. In the saddle sat the squirrel, donned in a snappy red and gold guard uniform and hat, and wearing a smart pair of white gloves with gold accents. One glove loosely held the reins of her mount, the other held a green umbrella to her shoulder as if it were a riffle. "I hereby relieve you!" she commanded from atop her miniature steed. Slappy and Andy had arrived.   
Wade wiped his brow. "You two are the Eleven O'clock shift for the east side?"   
"Present and accounted for, Sir!" Slappy snapped back. She saluted and poked Andy with a pair of sparkling diamond spurs, rearing him up to enhance her stature. The fox tossed his head spiritedly and pawed the air as Winnie and Wade exchanged rye glances.   
"Say, didn't we hear something about you two down at the Acme Dog Track last month?" Wade asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Something about challenging the rest of the dogs to a race?"   
"The dogs didn't have a chance, Sir!" Slappy remarked, a hint of a smile evident. She raised her "riffle" and pointed it at Winnie and Wade, motioning them aside. "You two are dismissed. Go get some sleep before you two collapse. We'll take it from here."   
"Yes, ma'am!" The two saluted back, then turned and walked off arm in arm. "Take care, you two!" Wade called back.   
Andy dropped back to the ground and he and Slappy began their "patrol" along the east side of the Looniversity campus.   
"Takes her duties a little seriously, doesn't she?" Wade chuckled to his wife.   
"Oh, yes. Uh huh," Winnie agreed with a giggle. "Say, was it just me, or did Andy look different somehow?" 


	21. Closure

CHAPTER 21: Closure

  
Phillip looked at the spot where the toon, Andy Fox, had been standing only moments ago, before he was once again enveloped by blinding light and vanished before their eyes, to return to Toonity with the mice the same way he had come. A silence hung over the room for several seconds afterwards, before everyone slowly began to return to their tasks, the problem of the two mice solved for them.   
Phillip scratched his head nervously. He turned to Arthur, who was staring fixedly ahead of him, a crooked little smile still on his face. "Ah, well if you still want that job I was talking about... you seem to have good references."   
Arthur turned to look at Phillip, his thoughts slowly returning to the immediate present. "Em... okay." He fumbled a bit, recovering from the experience. "I'll have to call the school, of course... tell them I won't be there to finish out the year... they're never going to believe this."   
He felt a hand on his shoulder. Spinning around he saw Winston standing behind him. The short, balding scientist's face was alight with pleasure. "Glad to hear it, Arthur. It's about time we had someone around here who wasn't so stuffy."   
Phillip feigned annoyance. "Stuffy?"   
"Plus," Winston added, "we can finish that discussion on toon gravity." He extended a hand, which Arthur took. The two shook firmly. "Welcome aboard."   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
On into the early morning, the Tiny Toons celebrated with the rest of their class the completion of the cartoon education. As for Andy and Slappy, they spent most of their time hanging outside of the cafeteria on security patrol.   
Slappy grumbled as she and Andy paused by the east campus entrance. "Ugh. I wish there was a way to see everything at once here so we wouldn't have to keep goin' over here every half hour. Too many trees and buildings in the way down here. What we need here is an aerial view."   
Andy cocked an ear. "Your wish is my command," he said happily. No sooner had he spoken, then two large red and white feathered wings sprouted from his shoulders and spread themselves wide to either side of his body, which had enlarged slightly to accommodate them.   
"Yikes!" Slappy squeaked, recoiling back from the sudden appearance of the large appendages. "Fox--what the..."   
The two large wings began to beat powerfully, and Andy padded forwarded in several quick hops. Then his paws left the ground entirely, his wings beating nearly silently against the warm night air, lifting the two slowly into the black sky.   
"How's this?" Andy asked, turning and slowly circling the Looniversity campus nearly twenty feet below them. He felt Slappy's legs wrapping tightly around his sides and one of her paws grip his back fur tightly. Andy turned and saw Slappy's face fixed in a look of disbelief and shock. He smiled. "Are you okay, hon?"   
Slappy looked down at her feet dangling in the stirrups, the green lawn of the campus far below, then at the fox's paws which seemed to be pushing through the air in a fashion similar to swimming. "Remind me to keep my big mouth shut."   
Sensing Slappy's shakiness and fear, and feeling he had gone a bit too far with her, the fox began to gently float down "Sorry, hon," he began. "I... thought maybe you'd like tooOOOYIP!"   
"Yee-haw!" came Slappy's voice from behind as she suddenly pulled back on his reins with both paws and dug her spurs into his flanks. Andy flailed about helplessly in mid air with surprise. His wings flapped crazily as he tried to regain his balance. Her earlier fears now washed away by the wonderful sensation of open flight, Slappy laughed triumphantly and gave Andy another kick. Arching his back slightly, he took off in a flurry of feathers as Slappy rode him confidently up into the dark sky, soaring high and fast through the cool night, diving, swooping, and soaring again. "Yahoo, em... birdfox!"   
"Careful," Andy warned, "you're going to lose your hat."   
"Eh, put a sock in it, Fox," Slappy grumbled back, beaning him on the head with her umbrella. "So, did this come from your rite of passage too?"   
Andy perched briefly on the tip of Looniversity clock tower before pushing off again over the back campus, the tassels and edges of his saddle blanket catching the breeze and fluttering softly. "Nope. Just an advanced toon shape shifting gag. I could always do temporary things like this if I felt like it. What I got from the rite is permanent."   
Slappy shook her head and mused aloud. "He's got the powers of the universe at his disposal and he uses them to give his wife flying rides on his back." Andy didn't turn, but simply nodded his head. He felt his wife's paw pat his hip gently in silent thanks.   
Their enlightened position did allow the two a grand view of the campus below which they, after a few more dives and swoops and Slappy giving Andy a tender kiss for brightening up her night, returned to guarding. However, the only activity they saw the entire night was when two shady raccoons had tried to bust into the campus. They were quickly ran off, their eyes popping at the sight of a mad, screaming squirrel riding a growling, salivating fox right at them.   
"Hey, this is kinda fun!" Slappy commented happily as the two returned to their watch.   
Later they spotted the two 'coons back at it, spraying graffiti on the side of one of the outlying buildings. The two were treated to a free explosives lesson, courtesy of "professor" Slappy.   
"Heh ha!" She called after the two charred bodies stumbling away. "Just because school's over don't mean ya can't learn nothin'!"   
"Think we should report them?" Andy asked.   
Slappy shrugged. "Ehhh. I think they've learned their lesson, Heh ha."   
The only other entertainment during their shift had been when Andy had given Mary Melody a complementary ride around the athletics track, eliciting several whoops and cheers from Shirley the Loon and Babs Bunny. Cheered on by the audience Mary smiled confidently back and gave them all an expert display of riding, much to Andy's (and Slappy's) surprise.   
"C'mon, Fox!" Slappy said afterwards, grabbing her husband's left ear and dragging him back to the cafeteria by it. "Stop bein' such a nut. We're suppose to be on duty."   
As the sun began to peek over the horizon the sounds of partying finally began to dwindle. At eight o'clock the campus lockdown ended, as did the celebration. Toons slowly streamed out of the campus, many with their parents, heading home to get some well-deserved sleep. The fox headed home as well, gently carrying a sleeping squirrel on his back.   
Before retreating to bed himself, one more duty remained. After leaving Slappy sleeping peacefully in the mansion, Andy quietly slipped away into the forest beyond his yard, to see Lady Amber once more, and thank her.   
  
Monday morning came, as it inevitable would, to the sleepy eyes of the toons of Los Angeles, except for those nocturnal animals ones who returned to their slumber as the dawn filled the land with the bright light of a new day.   
Thumbing through the morning mail at his desk at Tetra Dimensional, Andy's eyes caught the familiar emblem of Acme Labs stamped onto one of the envelopes. He sliced it open with a claw. Inside he found a very heart-felt letter from The Brain and Pinky, expressing their deep gratitude and thanks for his actions in coming to retrieve them. Also inside the envelope was a small brass key with a note reading, "In you we trust our safety." The key, Andy knew, belonged to Pinky & The Brain's cage.   
Andy took the small key, sat back in his chair and stretched. The fact that the mice' cage had a lock on it was a trivial matter at most, as The Brain was able to easily escape anytime he wanted, and the mice were never strictly confined to it anyhow. It had simply become their home. The gift of the key, however, spoke a deeper message from the two mice. It was a symbol of trust, and implied abdication of control. It was a message to Andy that the two mice had given him their trust, both in their freedom, but also in their protection, an item which, for a toon animal, is not a thing to be given lightly.   
Andy tucked the brass key into his fur. He turned and gazed out the window at the L.A. skyline, the reflection of the sun glinting off a tall building's windows and glaring into his eyes. He gazed skyward into the dispersing morning clouds, and wondered what lay beyond the blue, beyond the black of space and the stars beyond. 


	22. Return To Wild

CHAPTER 22: Return To Wild

  
The years that followed were happy ones for Andy and Slappy. While she never did acquire a taste for meat herself, Slappy did prepare carnivorous dinners for the fox. Andy had taken his toon heritage to heart and spent his time being the best fox he could be for Slappy and Skippy.   
Time passed for the happy fox and squirrel. Skippy grew into a fine adult squirrel, moving out of his uncle's mansion to take up roots in Slappy's old oak tree. There, he lived comfortably for many years, marrying a squirrel by the name of Sandy: a lovely figure of a female draped in gold and tan fur.   
Andy and Slappy, however, were not alone without Skippy. Aside from Fluffy the rabbit, another young toon had appeared to fill the happy couple's lives. It scampered playfully throughout the mansion, climbing up the walls and swinging from chandeliers. The toon was a squirrel: a spunky ball of fluff and cuteness that Slappy had insisted did _not_ come from her side of the family, yet loved with all her heart despite it. The squirrel had bright red fur, with white belly and cheeks. The tips of his feet were also white, along with the tip of his tail, which seemed to be colored more like a fox's than a squirrel's. He also had, slowly emerging from his innocent smile and cute face, a very definite set of sharp, carnivorous teeth.   
His presence changed Andy's life forever.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
"Here," said Fluffy, removing his pendent and placing it in Andy's paw, his speech changing back to the natural language of rabbits. "I do not need this anymore."   
Andy looked bewildered. "Fluffy, is something wrong?"   
Fluffy shook his head. "Oh, no. I enjoyed being able to speak and hear your English--I did a great deal, but it is time I give this back to you. Aside from bringing me into the civilized toon world, it also served to remind me that I do not belong there."   
Andy quickly protested. "Of course you do, Fluffy. Don't say that."   
Fluffy shook his head. "Just as you yourself have strove to find your natural side, so must I keep mine. Your gift opened up a whole new, grander world to me, and I am forever grateful, but I also feel I may lose something special of myself if I do not do this. The temptation... will always be there, and I... am just a simple rabbit, and must remain so. I belong with simpler animals, and with those toons where you don't need to speak rabbit to know what they are saying to you. I belong where things are comfortable and make sense to me. The world is a grand place, my friend, but some of it I will never be a part of, nor wish to. I've had enough of trying to be something I am not, and I'm too old to try and change."   
"Fluffy?" Andy asked slowly, sensing some odd feelings from the rabbit, "What sparked this?"   
But Fluffy did not answer and simply looked back at the fox. "Please, take it back."   
The fox looked down at the pendent, a wave of strange sadness he couldn't place washing over him. "What... what about Skippy?" he asked. Though the squirrel in question had moved out nearly five years earlier, he was still a very special friend and playmate to the rabbit. Andy looked into Fluffy's dark eyes and saw that the rabbit knew what he was really asking.   
"Skippy will understand," Fluffy assured him. "Perhaps one day you will find another toon to give it to."   
Andy frowned, his shoulders slumping. "Whatever you want, Fluffy." Hiding a tear and fighting a spark of helpless rage, he gritted his teeth and went over to the window. With one mighty swing of his arm, he hurled the pendent high into the sky, its gold case catching the light of the sun and flashing like a star one last time as it spun through the air. Then, as it's skyward journey crested, a bright white energy bolt shot from Andy's eyes, striking the pendent and smashing it into a million red and blue sparks of light.   
"Oh, dear," Fluffy muttered, watching the apparent destruction of the special gift he had been given so many years ago. "Em... hope you didn't work too hard on it, old chap. I didn't mean to upset you."   
The sparks slowly dwindled to nothingness, leaving behind only the blue of the sky. Andy turned, his right paw emerging from his pocket. He patted Fluffy. "No big deal."   
Fluffy gazed back into Andy's green eyes, and saw that the fox, despite his confused feelings, had understood the true reason for his decision.   
"You were right, of course," Fluffy offered kindly, trying to cheer the fox up. "I could always understand Skippy, even without the pendent."   
"Yeah. You know... wait!" Andy snapped up suddenly, narrowing his eyes and turning to Fluffy. "Who told you that? I said that to Slappy once, but I don't believe I..."   
"Em..." Fluffy stuttered. "I'm... I'm sure I've heard you say it at one time or another."   
Andy eyed the large rabbit sternly. "You know, Fluffy, you seem to know a great deal more than you let on sometimes. I've kept quiet about it for many years, Fluffy. How about giving me the story now?"   
"Excuse me?" Fluffy asked.   
"You knew about me taking the rite before I told you. You've always seemed to know what was happening with me. You seem to have some sort of long history with the animals in the woods out there, though you've only been living here a few years, and I've checked your records. There seems to be no record whatsoever of your very first owner, Harold Brownfox."   
"I... I don't know what you're talking about." Fluffy said, turning and facing himself away from Andy. "You must be mistaken."   
Andy took a deep breath and walked over to stand next to the rabbit, who was pretending to find something interesting to look at outside the windows. "Fluffy," the fox said quietly, his arm wrapping around Fluffy's back warmly. He patted the rabbit's side.   
Fluffy lowered his head. "I... am just a rabbit," he said to the floor, "here to rest and relax from a long life of warrens and guard duty, and to help a fox who had lost his way. He said that I would find someone here--someone who was lost and looking for answers."   
"Who said?" Andy asked. Fluffy ignored the question, speaking aloud his thoughts as though he were looking through strange mists of time, to events from another place.   
"Someone who would help me too, he said, and that when I found that someone I'd know it deep inside, right from the start, and that we would become the closest of friends, to protect and be with me in a strange world." Fluffy turned to look up at Andy. "I dare say he was spot on right. Back when I first caught sight of you coming towards me on the carousel, somehow I knew."   
"Who told you, Fluffy?"   
Fluffy's face took on a look of thoughtfulness as he mused aloud, his voice carrying a sense of odd discovery. "He told me you would have strange and great powers that you could use to read my mind, but he also told me that you would never do this. And... you haven't, have you? Even now as we speak."   
Andy looked down. "No," he admitted. "I... it just didn't seem right to use them on you. Who... are you, Fluffy?" The rabbit shook his head and coughed awkwardly. As he did so he lifted a paw and half-gestured to a book stand in the corner of the room. He did it very casually, as if trying to purposely make the point that he weren't gesturing to it. Andy looked over to the stand. Normally devoid of books, it now held one solitary thick paperback, the head of a rabbit pictured on its cover.   
Fluffy's voice was soft and oddly comforting. "You already know me, my friend."   
Andy glanced at the book, titled "Watership Down", than back to Fluffy. He scowled slightly. Fluffy looked back up to Andy, one ear drooped down. "Let's just say that my fur has not always been white."   
Andy stood for several seconds, his mind filling with a mix of confusion and uncertainty. Suddenly a cold grip of paralyses intensified over Andy as he realized the high presence he was in. He stepped back and stumbled against a table. Fluffy sniggered slightly.   
"Oh Crimany!" Andy gasped. He felt a icy chill as he realized he had been riding on the back of a very ancient and wise being--a legendary rabbit from a far away place. He began to feel very nervous and self-conscious. "Crimany," he repeated, panic in his voice.   
Fluffy seemed to sense the fox's thoughts and casually padded over to him. "Oh, come now," he said casually. "Right now, at this moment, I am a carousel rabbit, not to mention your friend, and I'm quite happy to be both."   
"But... why?" Andy whispered. "Why a carousel animal?"   
Fluffy waved a paw. "Wasn't exactly my choice, but what better way to be around children and young animal toons? Wonderful joy being around them--Skippy especially. I love little animal toons, you know. Well, most of them. It's when those spoiled little brats jumped on me, or when older or larger adult toons rode me that I tended to become bit annoyed." Fluffy sighed and added with a heavy voice, "And traded."   
Andy nodded. "I remember you scowling at me when I came up to you that first time."   
Fluffy coughed and fumbled with his words. "Yes, well... well for cryin' out loud you're a bloody full-sized fox!" He shrugged and smiled apologetically back at Andy. "You've become a great friend to me, though. Never forget that."   
"You were always a unique carousel animal--particular about your riders," Andy nodded back. "I guess now I know why."   
Fluffy gave an audible grunt of satisfaction. "Indeed. Now, are you going to take me out for my regular evening ride or what? It is nearly seven."   
Another cold chill ran down Andy's spine. "Em... I don't think... I'm not sure..."   
Fluffy scowled back at Andy. "Oh, come off of it and get over here. I'm the same old rabbit you've been riding for the past four years. You know bloody well I enjoy carrying you about, and I know you enjoy riding me."   
Andy spoke distantly. "I see now why you don't let rabbits on your back."   
Fluffy turned and looked away briefly. "Rabbits... must make their own way through life," he said gently, also sounding a bit distant. "It's all... I cannot allow them to ride me."   
"It would have been... apocryphal?" Andy suggested.   
"Well," Fluffy pondered. "I donno about that. More like... inappropriate I suppose. I'm not sure I understand it myself--just something inside me. As I said, I'm just a rabbit, no matter what may have been written about me." He turned back to Andy. "But there is one thing you don't know: I _would_ let a rabbit on my back who needed my help, say, if he were injured or something. Now," he concluded, becoming alert and direct again with the fox, trying to clear the heaviness out of the room that had descended within the past several minutes, "are we going or not?"   
"Are you sure?"   
Fluffy tossed his head and snorted somewhat irritably. "Oh, shut up and get on." He stomped his left hind foot against the floor in a sign of impatience. "Don't make me order you," he smirked, ever so slightly.   
The fox did as he was bid. Taking hold of Fluffy's soft, blue leather collar he mounted on the rabbit's back, seating himself in the matching blue saddle. Fluffy shifted about in place, twitching his whiskers and pawing the floor gently as he felt the fox's weight settle upon him.   
"I've never been able to explain why I felt so comfortable when I'm with you," Andy admitted, his feet brushing the rabbit's furry chest. "I guess... now we know." He patted the rabbit's hip, his other paw still on the collar. After several seconds he spoke up. "Rabscuttle?"   
One of Fluffy's ears perked up slightly. He remained silent for several moments, then bowed his head, his voice carrying a heaviness like a truth he was uncomfortable with, but had to face nevertheless. "Yes," he said tiredly. But the fox said nothing more, and simply patted Fluffy's side.   
"Come on," he finally said, his knees gently pressing against Fluffy's sides.   
The two exited the mansion and Andy led Fluffy along the quiet, tree-lined suburban streets. It was a peaceful evening. In another hour the sun, currently casting yellow, sideways shadows upon the world, would be setting. The strong scent of charcoal drifted by on the air as the two passed a family barbecue in progress. Along the edge of a park lake, two small chipmunks sat on the bank, reed fishing poles in their hands, waiting for a bite from a sunfish or two. Fluffy silently padded along the sidewalks and grass, a peculiar carefree feeling filling himself and the fox upon his back. Playfully dodging in and out of the shrubbery and around the ash and palm trees along the roadside, past mailboxes, the two rode silently, working their way at a gently hop to the edge of town, and the expanses of open lands beyond.   
Fluffy paused there, stretched each of his hind legs in turn, then silently stood and waited for his rider's command. He may have been a very mystical and legendary figure of rabbit folklore, but he was also still a rabbit, and a carousel rabbit at that, a whole other class of animal--more sophisticated and elegant than any common mount. And, he would always wait, nearly patiently, for his friend's commands.   
As Fluffy gazed at the expanse of open land before them, he suddenly felt two strong kicks in his sides. He smiled, eyes lighting up with excitement, and shot off at a full run into the yellow scrub brush and green grasslands before them.   
Fluffy's whole body became alive with energy and life as he bounded forward in terrific leaps, his paws barely seeming to touch the ground as he tore across the land with Andy leaning forward and clinging tightly to the his body. Feeling Andy's secure hold on him, Fluffy grinned and began taking liberties with his running, wildly bounding left and right in an unchecked display of wild freedom. He began zigzagging swiftly around bushes and taking terrific leaps over imaginary obstacles, propelling the two high into the air, each leap and each hop adding to his swelling joy as he ran on. Andy hugged Fluffy's flanks with his legs, his feet wrapped around the rabbit's middle as he held on to Fluffy's collar, his ears flat against his head from the strong wind as his friend showed off for him. He felt Fluffy's powerful muscles under him, flexing and shifting against his legs as they easily propelled the two forward with their strength. Andy gave the rabbit no commands, no cues, no suggestion of direction, but simply hung on for the ride, letting Fluffy take them wherever he wished, wildly leaping into the air and prancing as free as his spirit.   
Eventually, after crossing miles and miles of fields, rocks, and scrub, the two ended up at the coast of the great Pacific Ocean. Andy rode Fluffy out upon the beach where the rabbit, his paws encountering the unfamiliar sensation of wet, cool sand, slowed of his own accord to a stop. His nostrils filled with the heavy scent of saltwater and seaweed. He twisted his head around and cocked his ears at the ceaseless crash of waves upon the shore.   
"Good grief but that's a lot of water," he commented as he stepped up near the tide line. He dodged playfully in and out of the tiny ripples and tips of waves as they broke and rolled back along the tide line. To the north, as far as they could see, the beach stretched flat and oddly compelling to the large rabbit. He looked back at the friend on his back, the only toon he was able to share such great feelings of freedom with, and winked one large brown eye.   
Andy smirked back. He jerked on Fluffy's collar and thumped his feet against the large rabbit's sides, rearing Fluffy up on his powerful hind legs. Fluffy tossed his head fervently, his forelimbs regally pawing the air as his body filled with a surge of spirit and power. He felt like the master of the world, in command of all, fearing none, and with his best friend astride his back to protect and battle for him no beast could ever stop him--ever.   
One of the fox's paws dropped to Fluffy's shoulder where it rested comfortingly. Fluffy puffed out his chest proudly and tucked his head down, striking a gallant pose. Silhouetted against the backdrop of sun and sea, staying locked in that pose for several moments, the two figures relished the moment--the feeling of companionship and wild freedom, a bond between then a thousand times stronger than anything so common as a faithful steed and his rider.   
Then, Andy slackened his pull on Fluffy's collar and gave him one more kick, and Fluffy, tossing his head and uttering a phrase of joy known only to rabbits, shot forward through the air in one large hop. Landing gently, he broke into a full run, paws softly pounding upon the moist sand as he and Andy rode along the west coast sound. The rabbit bounded effortlessly along in giant, ten-foot strides--a graceful, shimmering white beast and his passenger against the brown, damp sand and the crashing ocean beyond.   
Sunset eventually found the two friends sitting quietly upon an outcropping of large rocks that jutted roughly fifty feet into the sound, watching the sun dip slowly below the horizon of the water. They sat in silence as the gold rays of the sun turned the sky and clouds deep shades of crimson and purple as it disappeared on the horizon. Filling the air around them, the incessant crashing waves of the sea blotted out all else, secluding the two in their own mutual, welcoming company. 


	23. A New Generation

CHAPTER 23: A New Generation

  
"Let's see," Andy muttered, looking at a small piece of paper. "Next is... well! Next one to see is Bugs Bunny. How 'bout that. He still teaches Class Clowning 101?"   
"Guess so," Slappy agreed. Next to the couple, and slightly behind, trudged their twelve year-old son, Anthony. It was parent/teacher conference week at Acme Looniversity, and just like all the other students in grades 7 through 12, Anthony's parents had come to talk with his teachers and find out how their child was doing in his classes. Rather than having the parents wandering lost throughout the Looniversity seeking out different classrooms, all of the professors had been assembled in the gymnasium at rows of tables. The large room buzzed with conversation.   
"Aw," Anthony sighed. "Do we _have_ to go see Bugs?"   
"Why not?" Andy asked casually, knowing full well that Anthony had always been slightly intimidated by the famous rabbit. That, compounded by the fact that he wasn't doing very well in Bugs' class made Anthony lag further behind.   
"Eh," Slappy muttered, taking Anthony's paw and ruffling his head fur. "C'mon. It'll be fun."   
"Hey, Docs!" Bugs said cheerfully to Andy and Slappy, standing up and shaking their paws. As Andy and the two squirrels took their seats Bugs sat back down and donned a pair of reading glasses. He extracted a manila folder from a pile and gazed at it with all the airs of a concerned educator who was meeting a student's parents for the very first time.   
"Ah, yes. Mr. and Mrs... em... Fox. Yes. It is a great joy to have your son Anthony in my class."   
"Oh, geez!" Slappy half giggled, half groaned while Andy slumped down in his chair. Resting an elbow on the table he rested his chin on his paw, looking as if he was going to fall asleep. Meanwhile, Anthony sat petrified in his chair, awaiting the verdict from his professor.   
"I must say, your son is a very gifted student," Bugs began, thumbing through the contents of the folder, extracting some papers and spreading them out on the table. "He's one of da brighter kids in his class. However, he does not seem to be applyin' himself as hard as he could be."   
"Really?" said Slappy, clearly uninterested.   
"Yes," Bugs went on. "It seems dat young Anthony here is having difficulties in da areas of slapstick comedy, particularly in da area of anvils and mallets."   
"You don't say," Andy commented, also appearing bored out of his mind. Bugs eyed the two parents skeptically.   
"Anthony seems to be having trouble understanding da basis for dis type of comedy," Bugs explained. "Frankly with a mother like Slappy I can't honestly see how dat can be possible."   
"Perhaps he needs a... demonstration?" Andy asked dryly, looking over to Slappy, his head still resting in his hand.   
"Yeah," Slappy agreed, perking up. In a flash of movement, she whipped out a giant mallet from her purse and delivered a solid strike to Bugs' head. The rabbit's eyes crossed and he immediately fell off his chair. Anthony's eyes went wide with shock, his face the picture of horror. "You... you knocked him out cold!" he gasped.   
"Naw," Slappy said, patting his shoulder. "Luke warm maybe, but not cold. Heh ha."   
Bugs' voice came from behind the table, a gloved paw rose above the chair pointing a finger up in defiance. "Now see here..." but before he could get further, he was again knocked to the ground, this time by a large Acme Anvil which had inexplicably appeared above him. Slappy eyed Andy who smiled innocently. "This is kinda fun."   
Again Bugs rose to his feet, and shakily took to his chair. "I can see you two have no problems in dis area," he said, wavering. He turned to see Anthony bubbling with stifled laughter. "Ya see, kid?" he asked. "It ain't hard, and obviously you are now seein' the humor in it."   
"Yes, professor Bugs," he said, trying to put on a serious expression and show his mentor the respect required, which at the moment was rather difficult with the ring of stars still floating around Bugs' head.   
"Now," Bugs continued, regaining his poise and going through the papers on the table. "He's currently gettin' a C plus for a grade. Maybe if he applies himself for da rest of da trimester, he can raise it to an A."   
"Whaddaya say, kid?" Slappy asked Anthony. "Think ya might get the hang of it?"   
"Let me see," said Anthony, taking Slappy's mallet and giving his professor a terrific whack with it, sending Bugs back to the floor.   
Andy couldn't help but grin. "Seems teacher/student formalities have gone completely out the window here."   
Slappy broke into laugher. "Heh ha! That's _my_ kid who did that."   
"Well," Bugs said after Andy had pulled him off the floor and wrung him out to his normal self, "Dat's about all I can say about Anthony... except heaven help da world when he graduates."   
Andy and Bugs shook paws. Bugs looked around for Slappy who had suddenly vanished. "So long, folks," he said finally. "Take care of dat kid of yours. He's a real spit-fire."   
"Bu-bye," Slappy answered back, her head popping up from under the table. She gave Bugs a smug handshake and turned to depart with Andy. As the two walked away, a familiar _*BOOM*_ thundered behind them, and a charred, smoking gray rabbit fizzled to the floor.   
Andy and Slappy got through the rest of Anthony's professors with little incident, Making their way around the gym the two ran into none other than Plucky Duck and Shirley The Loon. Andy took Plucky's wing and shook it vigorously. "Plucky! Great to see you."   
The green mallard grinned back. "Hey, Andy, Slappy. You two still hangin' 'round here?"   
"Of course," Andy shrugged. The two clapped each other on the back like old friends.   
"Like, nice to see you again, Andy," Shirley offered. "It's like, really good to see your karma is finally at peace." Andy took her wing and kissed it cordially, the wedding ring on her finger glittering in the room's light. The two waterfowl had matured well over the years, and looked like a winning couple. The two nodded warmly to Slappy.   
"Hey, kids," Slappy greeted back. Plucky and Shirley scowled slightly.   
"Kids?" they both grumbled.   
"Don't worry," Andy said. "Anyone whose less than sixty is a kid to her."   
Shirley turned her attention to the third toon across from her. "Hey, Anthony!" she waved. "Like, how's my favorite little squirrel?"   
Anthony bounded over to Shirley and hugged her. "Okay! We just blew up Bugs Bunny."   
Shirley frowned at this. "Oh, really?" she asked, eyeing Slappy.   
"What?" Slappy asked, dispassionately.   
"Same old Slappy," Plucky mused.   
"Hey!" Slappy jabbed Plucky with her umbrella. "Watch it with that 'old' bit. Ehhh, these kids today."   
"Glad to see you two are doing so well," Andy said to the couple, putting a restraining paw on Slappy's shoulder. "You know you Tiny Toons have become something of a legend here."   
"Well, I'm not one to boast," Plucky began, puffing himself up. Shirley gave him a playful jab in his side.   
"Deflate, dear," she said out of the side of her beak.   
Plucky shrugged and smiled innocently. A voice suddenly piped up behind him. "Hey, dad. Professor Leghorn's ready for us now."   
Andy turned and fixed his attention on the very lovely, blonde-haired green mallard that had spoken up. It was like looking at a female version of what Plucky had looked like during his years at studying at the Loo.   
"Oh, my," Andy gasped. "Is that Melanie? Oh, crimany she's grown!"   
"Yep," Plucky agreed, confidently. "She's in the 9th grade now. A regular spit-fire like her old man."   
Andy and Melanie shook paw and wing, then Andy turned back to Plucky and Shirley. "Well, I guess you'd better go visit Foghorn. I hear he's got a lot of parents to see tonight."   
"Like, it was totally great to see you three again," Shirley remarked. The two couples said their good-byes, then parted for their next meetings.   
  
"I don't want him learnin' to blow stuff up like I do," Slappy demanded to Andy after they had arrived back home, where the two had since retired to an upstairs reading room. Andy was lounging in a large, burgundy rocking chair with Slappy lying contentedly in his lap, her back reclined against his chest. "I don't want him growin' up to be an old grouch like me. It's a different world, now. The years blowin' everybody up are comin' to an end, and I don't want him to be trapped in a fading world that he'll have to struggle to break away from."   
"It's the same world, Slappy," said Andy, taking her paw in his.   
Slappy's voice was flat and unconvinced. "Is it?"   
"We're toons, Slappy," Andy said. "Toons are toons, no matter what the year. The world is what we make it."   
Slappy looked down and ran a finger through Andy's fur. "Eeeh, I wish I could believe that. Maybe I'm too cynical, heh ha." She looked back up at Andy earnestly. "I want him to be happy. You'll... take care of him, won't you, Fox?"   
Andy said nothing, but simply hugged Slappy to him and kissed her cheek softly.   
"Fox?" Slappy spoke up after a while. "Do you... believe in soul mates?"   
Andy's expression went blank. "What?"   
"Soul mates," Slappy repeated.   
"I... don't know," Andy admitted, turning away slightly. "Why?" he asked after a moment.   
"You've always told me you were glad you found me," She said, a tiny tear forming in her eye. "But I've always felt, now more than ever since you took the rite, that maybe I found you, too. Maybe... we found each other. You... say can't remember your past, but I've always found it interesting that the day they say you came here, just happened to be on my birthday, and how we share the same thoughts and feelings... almost like there was just one soul between us."   
Andy slowly nodded. Since he had first met Slappy, he too had been aware of a strange and unfamiliar sensation--some force that had drawn the unlikely coupling of a fox and a squirrel into existence, and had given both toons an unexplainably wonderful feeling of being whole and complete with the other's presence. The words spoken by the mysterious fox in the woods flitted about in his head: two halves, longing to be whole.   
"Is... is being soul mates that bad then?" he asked, looking into Slappy's aqua eyes, but Slappy didn't answer. Deep in the recesses of Andy's mind, he heard an odd echo, a feeling, a sensation he had never had before. It said, faintly, but clearly, "It means we're tied to each other. We always have been, and we'll always find each other." 


	24. Time's Arrow

CHAPTER 24: Time's Arrow

  
Fluffy never again spoke a word of English, the pendent Andy had given him growing into nothing more than a dim memory in the rabbit's thoughts as his fur and whiskers began showing traces of silver. His brown eyes became slightly clouded over the seasons, but remained bright and warm. And, despite growing arthritis in his left hind foot, he always had the energy and time to give the fox and squirrel, or their son, a ride. He tended to nap more often than he use to, spending his days lolloping lazily about the neighborhood and basking in the warm California sun, enjoying his later years in complete contentment.   
He passed away in his sleep on a sunny autumn morning. The bright orange and yellow leaves on the trees outside the window bathed the rabbit's large body in a warm glow as it lay curled up on the floor. Andy stood quietly in the doorway, a lost and lonely expression on his face. Kneeling down, he embraced Fluffy's body, resting his head upon the soft white fur. He closed his eyes and buried his snout in the rabbit's fur, and wished his friend well.   
With quivering lip, Andy slowly removed Fluffy's saddle, collar, and blanket, placing them neatly on the floor next to the rabbit in time-honored tradition. The carousel trappings silently faded and dissolved before his sad eyes. His ears twitched, and he turned to see Slappy standing solemnly in the doorway. Andy went to her and buried his face in her gray fur, tears streaming freely down his face. The squirrel held the fox silently and tried to comfort him.   
His spirit in peace, and in the presence of loved ones, the rabbit's body began to glow and shimmer. It was slowly enveloped by a million points of light until a fierce blinding glow emanated from where Fluffy had lain. Completely lost in tears, Andy refused to turn and watch the spectacle, leaving Slappy the sole witness of Fluffy's spirit as it departed. She nodded and smiled as the glowing shape briefly touched upon the fox's shoulder, sending a shiver through the fox's body, before disappearing through the window to return to the eternity from which it came. The squirrel sniffed quietly as a single tear rolled down her cheek.   
Five years later, she too departed. 


	25. The Arrow Loosed

CHAPTER 25: The Arrow Loosed

  
Andy held Anthony on his lap as the two sat in their front yard on a cloudy, misty, late afternoon. The air was curiously thick with moisture from an impending afternoon thunderstorm--unusual weather for California, especially when the forecast had called for sun all day. Oddly, the fox and squirrel didn't seem to mind. They sat quietly, taking in the dreary afternoon, a curious expression of satisfaction on Andy's face.   
The dampness of the air seemed to amplify the hues and colors of everything around them. The large shade trees in the yard formed an eerie maze of dark green, giving way here and there to the gray-green sky. The red brick of the wall along the edge of the yard contrasted sharply with the green, and gave the scene an odd feeling of time suspended, put to rest by the sultry air hanging heavy on all that it touched. The light mist compounded this feeling, shrouding everything in a protective haze, and making anything more than a few feet away seem distant and vague. Only the occasional passing car down the street served to remind the two toons that there was still a world of buzzing life around them.   
"I'll miss this type of weather," Andy mused quietly. "It had grown my favorite on Earth."   
Anthony turned to his father. "What do you mean 'miss', dad?"   
His son was still young, but was already as tall as Slappy had been. His large green eyes looked up into his father's, his voice carrying the purity of youth.   
Andy looked back at Anthony and took his paw. "Today is a very special day, Anthony. It's a day of reflection, and a day of completion--of loss, and gain."   
Anthony scowled at his father. "Huh?"   
Andy smiled back. "Someone who has been wandering and searching all his life is about to finally find his way back home."   
Andy fell silent, and closed his eyes as rumblings of thunder sounded above them. He remained quiet and still for several moments seeming to sense some impending event, his paw still gently holding Anthony's. The red squirrel watched his face, sensing a deep concentration and calmness in it.   
Anthony turned and gazed upwards. The world seeming to fade and blink out around him, and the air filled with defining silence. In the silence, for one brief moment, Anthony thought he could hear his father's words, barely audible, speaking in some strange language he had never heard. Then, without warning, a dazzlingly bright lightning bolt shot down from the gray clouds and struck Andy with a loud _*CRACK*_. A wave of energy washed over him, causing his body to glow vibrantly for several seconds as the air around him crackled with electricity. Anthony sat, unafraid, on his lap amid the crackling energy, his eyes wide as he witnessed the spectacle. Moments later, sound returned to Anthony's world, and his father opened his eyes.   
"Dad?"   
Andy gave an inward, satisfied smile to himself. "Yes, Tony?"   
"What was that?"   
"Just your dad taking care of some old business," he answered back.   
A loud crack of thunder southeast of them boomed and echoed through the clouds. Following it came Anthony's soft voice. "Dad, why don't we age?"   
Andy patted his son's head softly. "We do--just slower than others." Though chronologically around thirty years old, and graduating from Acme Looniversity nearly a decade earlier, Anthony still looked and acted little more than thirteen or fourteen, and Andy had often noted how he reminded him of Skippy when he was young. "One day you'll grow up to be a fine squirrel," Andy added.   
"But I'm not a squirrel," Anthony objected. "I got sharp teeth and a fox-like tail."   
"You're more squirrel than fox, Tony. Nothing at all wrong with a little of both. Your mother and I are glad you turned out just the way you are. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."   
Anthony seemed to contemplate his father's answer for a short time, then he spoke up again. "Dad?"   
"Yes?"   
"Do you miss mom?"   
Andy stroked his son's head. "I sure do, Tony."   
"Why did she have to go?" Anthony asked longingly.   
A trace of a frown etched its way onto Andy's face. "Because her time was done. She lived a long time, Tony--a long, happy life. She had a lot of natural toon in her, and sometimes laughter just isn't enough. It was time for her to rest."   
"But couldn't you have saved her? You and your magic--why didn't you save her?" Anthony said, starting to lash out accusingly.   
Andy shook his head. "I can cure any disease, Anthony," Andy said solemnly. "I can fix many things, but the gift of life is one ability I do not have."   
Anthony's voice took on an accusing tone. "Well, why didn't you just go back in time when she was still alive and just stay there?"   
"Son..." Andy began, but Anthony cut him off.   
"You could take me and we could live with her again!" Anthony gripped his father's white chest fur in a clenched fist. "We could see her again!" he insisted, his rage growing, driven by grief.   
Andy gently placed his paw on top of Anthony's fist and held it gently. "No, son," he said, looking sadly across to Anthony. "It would only make things worse. It would confuse the Slappy from that time. It would confuse you and I. It... it doesn't work."   
Anthony refused to give up his fight. "But you don't know! You're afraid to try! You're just so smug and stuffy--you just don't want to admit you don't know!"   
A tear formed in the corner of Andy's eye at his son's words. He could sense the rage and anger in his son's mind, and recognized them as his own. Anthony had indeed inherited something else from Andy aside from his sharp teeth and tail--he had inherited his strong emotions and deep personal feelings.   
"I do know," said Andy, looking down. "I've... tried it. After Fluffy left, I... That rabbit was my best friend. I... never lost anyone close to me before. When he left..." Anthony watched as the tear rolled down the fox's face, and his eyes filled with a terrible sorrow. The fox's face clenched into a painful grimace as unbearable past mistakes whirled about his thoughts. He shook his head and turned away to clear his mind. "The past is something to hold close to your heart and cherish, not something to go back to and try to lose yourself in."   
Andy felt Anthony's paw release him, the young squirrel's mind swimming with confusion and lingering anger. "Then why don't you just bring her from the past to here?" Anthony pleaded harshly.   
"And rob her of memories yet to be?" asked Andy, taking Anthony's chin and lifting his head up to face his own. "Slappy's life is her own to live, not yours or mine to take and change. She lived many happy years with us. Let her keep them."   
Anthony fell silent and turned away. The anger and hatred he had experienced moments before had suddenly vanished, leaving him with confusion and a feeling of regret. He had known full well the answers to his questions, and wondered now what had driven him to such blind anger to start accusing his father with them.   
"I'm... I'm sorry, dad," he said softly. Momentarily he felt Andy lay a paw on his shoulder.   
"It's okay, Tony. Even we geniuses can lose control once in a while." Disguised behind the body of a youth, his son had the same feeling that his aged father did.   
Anthony turned and hugged Andy, resting his head on his father's shoulder while Andy hugged him back. "Do you think about her?" he spoke up after a silence.   
Andy closed his eyes and nodded. "All the time."   
The young squirrel released his father. A timid smile had returned to his face. "Do you ever think about your parents?" he asked.   
Andy frowned. "I don't remember them, kiddo. I'd like to think I loved them, but I have no memories of them."   
"Do you think they abandoned you?" Asked Anthony.   
"I don't know," Andy shrugged. "They might have. My first memories are of being all alone, but either way, I do not hold anything against them. Perhaps they needed to leave. Perhaps they were saving me from something. I really don't know. Maybe they are still around somewhere. Maybe they aren't. Again, I don't know. Maybe one day I'll find out."   
Anthony was silent for a time, some cold spark of realization panging his mind. "You won't ever leave like mom did, will you, Dad?" Anthony asked, a tear welling up in one eye.   
Andy remained silent. He knew the answer, and it bore into him like a drill, but there was nothing he knew that could prevent it: he would never leave. But his son was a natural toon animal. Anthony would age, grow old, and eventually leave Andy behind as Slappy had.   
Andy wiped his son's eye with his paw and smiled. "Come on, then," he said, trying to smile cheerily and lighten the mood. "Let's go for a ride and clear our minds. I'll take you anywhere you want to go."   
Anthony gave a final sniff, then looked back up at Andy. "Anywhere?" he asked, a bit of happiness returning to his face. "On you?"   
"Sure," Andy said. "Anywhere. Right now. Let's go."   
Anthony beamed from ear to ear. After giving his father a tight hug, he jumped down from Andy's lap and dashed into the house. Andy stood up and stretched, silently taking in the world around him as the last page of an old chapter in his life turned, to reveal the first page of the next one to come.   
  
"Okay!" came Anthony's voice a few minutes later, startling the fox out of his thoughts. Andy looked down gave a small snicker at the comical figure before him. Anthony stood proudly, dressed in a green vest with a bright yellow bandana tied around his neck, and a giant ten-gallon cowboy hat atop his small head. Slung over one shoulder was a small brown backpack he often carried with him. He looked up at his father eagerly for a reaction.   
Andy smiled back. "Nice hat," he said, gesturing to the giant piece of headwear. Anthony simply gave a laugh and quickly exchanged it for a smart little western-style hat with a red feather in the brim. His outfit made the young squirrel look like a dapper little refugee from a John Wayne movie, but despite any impression of his costume, Anthony was a skilled rider, thanks in large part to time he had spent with Fluffy.   
"Not bad," Andy commented as Anthony stood proudly before him. "Could use one more thing though."   
Anthony looked confused. "What?" he asked, checking himself over.   
Andy's paw disappeared into his fur. It came out holding a small box. He opened the lid, revealing pair of simple brass spurs. They had been cleaned and polished and shined like new. He gazed at them for a moment, then looked down at Anthony.   
"These were your mothers," he explained, holding the box out to Anthony. "They are yours now--if you want them."   
Anthony fell silent, taken by surprise of the memento. He had very few actual mementos from his mother. Her Dodge Viper had been left to Andy, and Andy alone, as her will stated, "he's the only toon who could ever look good in it besides me, heh ha." Her explosives also were willed to him alone. Now, Anthony had just been presented with something from his mom, for him alone. He looked up at Andy with quivering lip and smiled.   
"Mom loved you a lot, kiddo," Andy said warmly. "She wanted you to have something special to remember her by." The fox took the spurs, knelt down and fitted them to his son's heels. "Unfortunately," he added, "these are all that she could find." Andy heard Anthony snickering and pretended not to notice. The spurs fit Anthony perfectly.   
"Thanks, Dad," Anthony whispered, his words carrying a collection of meanings and feelings only he and Andy understood. Andy hugged him lovingly and patted his shoulder before standing up and regarding the duded up squirrel.   
"There," said Andy, taking a step back. "Now you look like a proper... em... a proper... ah, well whatever it is, you look like a proper one."   
As he spoke, Anthony began to hear the sound of a song beginning to play from somewhere--a simple guitar rift set to a jumpy pop beat that filled the air all around them, yet did not seem to have a definite source. Anthony looked around in confusion. "Where's that music coming from? Sounds like someone's got their car radio turned way up."   
"Nope," said Andy, glancing off somewhere. "Just a trick I leaned from an old friend. It's 'A Change' by Sheryl Crow. I know it's an oldie, but, em... someone very special has recommended it."   
Anthony walked about and admired his new spurs while Andy spin-changed into his old familiar saddle and bridle outfit with a dramatic flourish and flashy light show effect. "I still got it," he remarked, tugging the saddle's purple strap and adjusting the green blanket underneath with a satisfied smirk.   
"Show-off!" Anthony said haughtily, giving his father a raspberry. Andy returned it in kind and planted himself on all fours.   
"So, where are we going, then?" he asked, bobbing gently in place to the music.   
Anthony jumped expertly up on his back. "Seattle," he called out dramatically, taking up the reins.   
"Sea... what?" Andy scowled back at the squirrel.   
"Seattle," Anthony repeated innocently.   
"Why Seattle?"   
"Because it's funny," Anthony remarked, gently nudging his father with his family heirlooms.   
Andy shrugged and shook his head. "Seattle," he agreed, lazily walking out onto the sidewalk. In time with the music, Anthony raised his heels and gave his fox mount a swift kick with his spurs. Andy leapt up and shot forward into a fast trot. He turned and looked indignantly back at his passenger. "Would you mind watching it with those?"   
Anthony merely grinned toothily and waved back. Andy gave him a smirk and snorted with mock irritation before turning forward again, padding along to the rhythm of the song's steady, pounding beat with his son riding proudly on his back. As they departed, the first rays of the late afternoon sun began to pierce through the thin western rim of the heavy storm clouds above, bathing everything it touched in a misty warm, golden glow. The two disappeared down the street, neither feeling the rain around them that was beginning to fall--quiet, warm, and peaceful as a lazy dream.   
  
Andy let his mind relax as he let Anthony do the steering. His thoughts drifted to memories of Slappy: the joy and troubles they had gone through, the nephew they had raised, and the spark of a new life that they had created. She had touched many lives, and had given Andy the greatest gifts of all: a son, and a family. And, with those gifts at last came the gratifying sense of having a place and purpose in the world. But now she was gone, and despite his son's presence Andy couldn't help but feeling somehow incomplete once again.   
For the next several days father and son made their way north as they toured the west coast of America. Anthony, in charge of direction, led them through open fields and tall forests, sometimes following the highways, and now and then taking newly invented short-cuts which seemed to Andy to be nothing more than excuses for the two to get lost.   
During the day they would talk in depth about whatever Anthony wanted to know about, and stopping at any number of tourist traps along the way. At night they would either camp out on the open land, or travel on to the next city where Anthony soon got into the habit of riding Andy inside the fanciest hotel he could find and right up to the reservation counter where he would kindly ask for a room, the hotel staff looking on and nodding their greetings to the young jockey.   
After Seattle the two headed east, caught up in the sensation of their newly found wanderlust. They traveled to Walla-Walla, through Montana and the Midwest states, their cares forgotten, the call of travel beckoning them on.   
"The world's biggest mallet," Andy said, standing in front of a 30-foot tall cartoon mallet and paging through a brochure.   
"Think it could squash Daffy Duck's ego?" asked Anthony, jokingly. The two exchanged dry glances, then both shook their heads.   
Through landscapes of golden wheat fields and sprawling cityscapes, rolling green hills and woods, across snow and sand, and through the heart of cities of concrete and steel, the two continued on, Anthony's small backpack filling with souvenirs and memorabilia from their stops. With a new spring in his step, thanks in part to his new and improved lower quarters, Andy trotted melodically through it all, taking in the sights and sounds of the great and wonderful world around him that he had somehow missed until now, seeing it all anew through his son's wondering eyes. And, through it all, Anthony sat perched atop his back, fumbling with road maps and tour guides, picking their course and getting to see his father in a new light. They had become more than father and son; they were two travelers, two adventurers, two wandering friends, together exploring the world around them.   
On cool nights, they would camp outside, lighting a fire and sitting close to each other. Anthony was also in charge of provisions, and would always have a meal ready for them. Their red fur would glow brightly as they ate and talked about happy times of past days, and of times yet to come. They would stare up into the night, each wondering what the future had in store for him. Eventually they would fall asleep, snuggled up to each other as the fire continued to glow.   
Under stormy and sunny skies, the bright dot of red and white fur moved east as the fox and squirrel journeyed on, their unhappiness left behind like so many miles of road.   
Reaching Pittsburgh and turning south to Cucamonga, the two stopped to dine at Peckin's, a typical family restaurant run by a fox Andy knew from the Hollywood scene decades before. Andy watched as Anthony devoured a small steak while he himself dined on an order of breaded chicken strips. Andy watched his son finish his meal and chuckled softly. "I'll never get over it--a carnivorous squirrel."   
Anthony wiped his mouth daintily with his napkin, then pointed to a half-eaten chicken strip on his father's plate. "You gonna eat that, dad?"   
Hitting the road again, Andy suggested that perhaps they had gone far enough, and that they should be getting on back. The response to his suggestion came in the form of a rather noticeable kick in his sides and a jerk of his reins. Andy promptly reared up, eyeing his son and deciding that Anthony was having entirely too much fun. The young squirrel waved his hat and called out, "Homeward bound!"   
The pair returned through Nashville and then Dallas where they stopped to pose with a statue of a giant jack rabbit. They went on to Denver, had some pizza in Tombstone, and spent two nights in Vegas, where Anthony won five hundred dollars at craps (age restriction for gambling is a bit different for toons), and Andy lost two grand to a shifty-eyed weasel with a lisp.   
In all, it was nearly a month before the two toons finally returned home, pausing shortly atop a hill and gazing at the L.A. skyline in the near distance. Tired and worn out from their journey, but also happy and refreshed, they trotted the final leg in silence, their love and friendship reinforced from their trip together. A new chapter in Andy's life had indeed begun, and many more were to follow. 


	26. The Arrow Flying

CHAPTER 26: The Arrow Flying

  
Outlasting Fluffy and his beloved mate, Andy continued to remain behind, his energy naturally replenished, his toon body remaining young. He watched Skippy's children grow up and flourish into their own families. His own son eventually grew into a handsome squirrel, always staying near his father. Most of the Looney Tunes were still around Los Angeles as well, along with the Tiny Toons, made ageless by the laughter they had given to the world.   
Like Plucky and Shirley, the Tiny Toons did age and grow into adults yet still retained much of their youthful looks and spirits. They sprouted families of their own, and a whole new conglomeration of toons appeared--a new generation of life had been brought into the world.   
As the decades passed, the animation industry slowly ebbed away into non-existence as centuries drifted by on Earth, putting Andy out of part of his job as an agent toon actors. It was not much of a financial impact, however, as the fox always had more money than he knew what to do with. He continued to remain a devoted scientist working at Tetra Dimensional, his son eventually coming to join him in his work. Together, they excelled in their scientific endeavors, continuing to bring new advances in science to the toon world.   
And, still, the fox was infrequently plagued by mysterious and confusing dreams, where a large white rabbit would appear in his thoughts, crossing the landscape of his mind like an open field in spring. The rabbit would turn, and eyes the fox curiously, an odd sense of beckoning and of loneliness evident in its features. These feelings would always be followed by a strong wave of warmth and comfort, and the rabbit would hop away, disappearing into the mist of his mind from whence it came, and Andy would awaken in the night, confused and lonely, but also with a slightly giddy hot sensation that somewhere, an old friend was somehow still about, ever watching, ever waiting, and perhaps someone else was as well.   
  
"How many years has it been?" Andy asked Wile E. one day as they sat and watched Skippy's youngest grandson, now fully grown, playing a game of professional baseball.   
"You mean since you came?" Wile E. scowled as he thought a moment. "About a hundred and sixty years I'd say."   
Andy nodded to himself and muttered. "It's been over three hundred on Earth. Heh. If you believe in time, that-is. You don't look a day over one hundred, yourself," he joked back at the coyote. Then he sighed and looked down at his feet. "I still miss her, you know. It's been over half a century and I still think about her all the time. I can't help it--It's like a part of me has been lost."   
"I know," the coyote nodded, patting Andy's back. "Like you said, if time matters here. How's Anthony?"   
Andy cracked a smile. "Heh. He won his fourth Nobel Prize."   
"Has his father's genius, eh? Always said he was smart."   
"He's starting to challenge even me." Andy laughed briefly, then fell suddenly silent. His next words came out little louder than a whisper. "I don't want to outlive the rest of my family, Wile E."   
The coyote looked a bit alarmed. He eyed Andy apprehensively. "Fox?"   
Andy stood and walked off with no further word, leaving Wile E. sitting on the bleachers. 


	27. Release and Return

CHAPTER 27: Release and Return

  
The lights in the bedroom had been dimmed, and an atmosphere of aged and old memories hung thick in the air. A small candle beside the bed burned steadily in a vain attempt to add warmth to the otherwise cold gray-blue hues filtering into the room from the twilight outside.   
"Unc.?"   
"Yeah, Skip?"   
"Thanks... for being a great uncle."   
Skippy's withered paw went limp inside of Andy's as the squirrel exhaled his final breath. His wife, Sandy, buried her head in Skippy's fur quietly, the candle light illuminating Andy's face, a look of cold emptiness upon his white cheeks, turned yellow from the dim light of the candle. His eyes stared blankly ahead of him, fixed on some invisible point in some other dimension, lost in a search for answers. And, for the third time in his life, Andy wept bitterly, watching his family slowly disappear around him.   
Father and son sat on the lawn in front of Slappy's old tree, their identically colored tails lying on the grass behind them. The two silently tried to comfort each other. Anthony had sensed, though, that his father's recent somber mood had been deeply enhanced by Skippy's passing.   
"You'll have to go through this with me too, won't you, Dad?" he asked.   
For all of Andy's hoping and wishing, Anthony had never received any of his father's unique powers. He had aged perhaps a bit slower than a natural toon, but Anthony had not been immune to time's arrow. He had been born a natural toon, Andy's gift to the world he had come to call home, a gift that would eventually disappear from his life as the rest of his family.   
Andy turned and embraced his son, speaking through his sobs. "I don't want to, son." His head on Anthony's shoulder and through tear-filled eyes, Andy looked out into the star-filled night He saw the flash of a falling star. It was the same star he had seen so many years ago--the one he owed so many years of joy to. Now he lookup up at it longingly and closed his eyes, and with his own son held close to him, finally he understood.   
In the blackness of Andy's mind, the familiar pair of orange eyes he had always seen in times of trouble re-appeared and hovered before him, their chilling presence seemed to wash over him like icy ocean waves of recollection as they stared fixedly into his mind. He had always been afraid of those eyes, but now suddenly he began to feel a curious sense of familiarity in them--echoes of old and lost times, and distant calls from the past he couldn't place. The glowing eyes glinted and flashed, and in a moment of crystal clarity, Andy finally understood. He hurled himself forward at the darkness, the piercing cold, and the orange eyes in his mind. A tremendous wave of terror and numbing cold enveloped his mind and soul as the decades of emptiness and loss he had felt since Slappy's and Fluffy's deaths pounded and crashed against him, grief compounded again and again by losses, while he had remained. Then the eyes vanished, and suddenly all was quiet. The chill was gone, and Andy's senses slowly returned to him as he became vaguely aware of the feeling of his son's arms wrapped tightly around his body, holding him not only in body, but in spirit, and for all time.   
He had been created as a pure being, of no one race, of no one species. He had been given everything possible to become what his heart chose, all the power, knowledge, and energy to become what he wished. His mind filled with warmth of family and of the fox within him--a calm, odd peace he was unfamiliar with, seeming somehow more real--more earthly--than anything he had previously known, as if he were now inexorably tied to the world and everything around him. Anthony shivered slightly as a crack of thunder suddenly sounded above them. He looked up into the star-filled, cloudless sky and blinked, and noticed that his father was trembling. Anthony clutched him tight, holding him close as, for the first time, he felt his father truly frightened.   
Andy's eyes remained closed, his body beginning to glow and pulsate oddly, wisps and arcs of white light radiated up into the sky. He had never known, up until that point, how to take his powers and remove them--pass them off, pass them away. In his mind, he saw the past events of his life, from back when he first came to the world of cartoons, to his first legal success helping a toon fight his cartoon contract, to meeting Wile E., to making the decision to go to Earth. And, as the events of his life played in his mind like a disjointed collage of scenes, so he felt his immortality gently slipping away as his energy began streaming out from his glowing body, returning to the ebbs and tides of the cosmos from where it had come.   
Eventually he opened his eyes, and saw the face of Anthony, eyes large, curious, concerned but unafraid, looking back at him. He blinked and smiled.   
"Dad?"   
"Yeah."   
"Are you okay?"   
Andy looked across to Anthony, and saw the familiar twinkle in his son's eyes he had come to cherish. "Yeah, Anthony. I... I think so."   
  
Hours later, Andy was resting quietly in what had once been Fluffy's room. He sat, looking through an old photograph album at pictures of Skippy. The squirrel's brown face seemed to etch itself in his mind, calling to him from some lost era in some other world he had never been in. His head had been tingling oddly since he had left Anthony with Sandy. He put the book down and picked up the guitar he kept in the room. He began lazily picking away at a favorite, old toon animal ballad. As he played his gaze wandered about the room, picking up on past times and other places from the various objects around him, and coming, quite by accident, upon the book stand in the corner. Still upon on it, among the jagged and toppling stacks of other books, was the solitary book that it held decades ago, untouched by the fox. Setting his guitar aside he picked up the book. He looked at it oddly, staring sadly at the picture of the rabbit upon the cover, and with a heavy heart, he opened it. Upon the inside cover a message he had never seen before had been written:   
  
Andy,   
  
In the caverns of time and corridors of worlds,   
we find the other always, because, my friend,   
there are no boundaries--only forgotten heritages,   
and those from past shall await, ever faithfully,   
for your return.   
  
Always faithful, your friend,   
  
Fluffy.   
  
Andy dropped the book in his lap and wiped his eyes, covering them with his paws, trying to blot out the world around him as his tears matted their brown fur, the words from his old, lost friend repeating themselves silently inside his mind, echoing to him from times long past.   
The handwriting on the page was unmistakable; it was Skippy's.   
  
The next day, the toon fox known as Andy began to age, and continued to do so from that day forward. His body slowly began to weaken. His hearing grew less sharp. His physical and mental powers had also left him, leaving him to grow into an old, happy fox, finally no different than the toons and animals around him. He had finally become a true toon.   
Decades after his nephew's passing, and his own fur deeply grayed, Andy could often be found playing with his newly arrived, great grandchildren, playing games and still giving the occasional fox-back ride, an action that his grand-daughter, Melissa, insisted on scolding him over, saying that he was too old and fragile to exert himself so. This was usually followed by the old fox playfully tossing her swiftly onto his back and trotting around proudly, and making her smile once again, just as she had when she was young and Andy had played with her.   
He felt very at peace and natural in his late years. His mind, though, remained as sharp as ever. He still worked as an active scientist, insisting on causing at least one small explosion in the science labs a month. And, he still spent time with Wile E., the two often lost in their own little world as they spent their lunches and many dinners sharing the joy of each other's presence. Often Calamity would join the two, and was a welcome friend to the fox, But when he wasn't working, or with friends or family, Andy would often disappear into the forest on his land and sit quietly, watching the animals around him, and reflecting happily on his long life and days long gone by. He remembered times long ago when he and Slappy would wander through the same woods, holding each other's paws as they went. And, he remembered how he use to play hide and seek with Anthony in the undergrowth when he was a child.   
On a summer day underneath a large oak tree, while thinking about his son, Andy's eyes closed as he nodded off into one of his mid-afternoon naps. His face left in a smile, he was silently re-united with his long lost love, his nephew, and an old friend with long ears, who greeted him warmly and nuzzled his chest as he joined them in eternity.   
At the suggestion of his son and grandchildren, and with whole-hearted agreement from the resident creatures, he was buried under that same oak tree in the woods that he was found under--the one he loved. Among those who bid him well were the coyote, rabbit, the foxes, squirrels, and numerous permutations therein of his relatives. In addition to the main assemblage, a second, less visible contingent of mourners was also attending the farewell. Sitting nearby in tree branches or on the ground, were a handful of woodland creatures including a young ferret and raccoon--the distant descendents of Lady Amber and Sasha. The two bowed their heads in silent prayer before returning to the shadows of the forest undergrowth. There was also, among the animals, a badger. She sat quietly, watching the proceedings come to a close, wondering who the fox was that her great great great grandmother had spoken so dearly of, and what he had been like. Hours later, after the sun had dipped low in the sky, and the other animals had long since departed, the badger gave a final bow to the scene, then turned and ambled off into the woods.   
  
As the generations before him, Andy had found what he had been seeking. and had finally understood the family of which he had always been a part of. He had left the world of toons, and returned to that of the animals. It had taken him just over two hundred and ten years. 


	28. Epilogue & End Credits

Epilogue

  
"It wasn't lost, dad. It... wasn't lost."   
Anthony stood over his father's grave. He held a single white daisy in his paws as he looked down at the ground. He knew that his father was not buried in the earth beneath him, but had nowhere else to go.   
"It wasn't lost, dad," he repeated. "It went out, but it wasn't lost... because I caught it, dad. I caught it, and it's in me now. I never told you, and I don't even know if you knew or not, but it's in me now, dad. It's... in me."   
He laid the daisy against the small stone memorial next to the large oak tree. "I know everything, dad. I..." He sniffed and wiped his eyes. "I miss you."   
He wiped his nose again, then turned and slowly made his way back to the mansion.   
  


+ + + + + +

  
  
Spring had finally given way to summer, the perennials now in full bloom and showing off their colors. It had been a cold winter for northern Oregon, and the warm weather had come with great relief. Now, the sun shown down brightly on the freshly mowed lawn of a small log cottage. Two fox kits were rolling around and chasing each other across the grass, the sun highlighting their vibrant red and white fur. The two kits tossed and tousled playfully on the grass, now and then dodging in and out of the woods beyond the yard in impromptu games of tag.   
From the porch of the cottage, two green eyes quietly watched the playing youths in the yard. A red paw reached for a nearby glass of lemonade. Sipping it gratefully, a middle-aged squirrel with red and white fur enjoyed the warm afternoon. He wondered if he ever acted so young and carefree as the two fox kits he was now watching.   
Anthony was jostled out of his quiet reflections by his youngest grandson, Reddy, who had jumped up on his lap and began poking incessantly at his grandfather's arm to get his attention. "Grandpa? Grandpa, wake up!"   
"I'm up, I'm up!" Anthony protested hurriedly, saving his arm from further assault. "What's up, Reddy?"   
"Grandma said you have to watch us while she goes out to get groceries."   
"Is that so?" Anthony asked, his ears picking up the sound of a car door slamming shut and a familiar Dodge Viper's engine revving up.   
"Yeah! And she also said you need to get me a bowl of ice cream!" Reddy looked up at his grandfather with eyes of pure innocence and smiled hopefully.   
"Okay," Anthony smiled. He reached a paw behind his back so Reddy wouldn't see the bowl of chocolate ice cream materialize in his paw with a small flash of light. He brought his paw back out and handed the bowl to Reddy. "There ya go, kiddo."   
Reddy made himself comfortable in his grandfather's lap and took a spoonful of ice cream while Anthony contemplated the effects of spilled chocolate ice cream on squirrel fur.   
"Grandpa?" Reddy asked. "Tell me more about great grandpa Fox."   
"Oh," Anthony stretched, "what's left to know? I spent all week telling you about him. I've shown you pictures. What else do you want to know?"   
"Did he ever find out who his parents were, or about his past?"   
Anthony scowled for a moment. "Nope," he concluded. "But in the end he found out it didn't really matter. What mattered was what he did with his powers, to make his own life, and to have his own family. He became a toon, but it wasn't enough. He wanted to end his life here--with us, abandoning his immortality for a simpler life."   
"He sounds like he was a real nut," Reddy offered, swirling his spoon in his ice cream.   
Anthony nodded. "Yes he was, but he was also a real kind fox. I just wish you could have met him. He left us nine years ago--about a year before you were born."   
Reddy fingered a gold, diamond-shaped pendent with green and white stones that was hanging on his grandfather's chest. "So is he why you have all those weird powers and why you stay young?" he asked, slyly.   
Anthony looked shocked. He stared at Reddy with wide eyes which quickly resumed there normal complacent look. "You sure are a hard one to fool, kiddo. but, well, we'll just keep those things between us, okay?" He ruffled Reddy's head fur.   
"Okay, grandpa," Reddy agreed, giving him a hug before leaping off his lap to go sit out in the yard and finish his ice cream. He turned once to look back at his grandfather on the porch, and the two exchanged a knowing glance with each other.   
Anthony nodded to himself, and took another sip of lemonade. He gazed into the blue, cloudless sky above him, his eyes focusing on something beyond the simple blue, beyond the black of space and the stars beyond. "Quite a kid, isn't he, Dad?" And, somewhere beyond the blue, cloudless sky, the black of space and the stars beyond, in a place only Anthony could see, a fox nodded back to him.   
  
  
  
  


THE END   
  
  
  
  
Based on a true story.   
  
  
  
  
All commercially licensed cartoon characters   
are copyright and trademarks of their respective companies.   
  
  
The following named characters that appeared   
in this story are unique creations of   
Andy Fox and are copyright him:   
  
Fluffy C. Rabbit   
Arthur Trenton   
Phillip Sandal   
Ed Puma   
Dennis   
Samantha   
Fox   
Vixen   
Sasha   
Lady Amber   
Fern   
Winston   
Sandy   
Anthony   
Melanie   
Melissa   
Reddy   
  
  
Starring the voices of   
  
FLUFFY Joss Ackland   
SASHA RACCOON Janet Wright   
MYSTERIOUS FOX Michael Hordern   
  
and starring ...   
  
PHILLIP SANDAL Keith David   
THORNE MOUSE himself   
BLUE SKUNK Sean Campbell   
  
  
(All actors were paid scale.)   
  
  
  
  
TRANSLATION OF FLUFFY'S DIALOG Acme's English Toon Rabbit   
dictionary, 5th Edition   
SLAPPY'S WARDROBE ... not telling :-)   
FERN'S HAIR DONE BY two large black paws   
CATERING Sammich Express   
  
  
WRITTEN BY Andy Fox   
STORY EDITORS Sean Campbell   
Pepe K.   
SCREENING AND RELEASE The Great High King Uriah   
DIRECTED BY Andy Fox   
PRODUCED BY Acme Films Unlimited   
  
  
  
  
Official Soundtrack for Forgotten Heritage   
  
Yes, there was music playing during the story! Didn't you hear it? :-)   
  
The soundtrack for this fan fiction was chosen with the idea in mind   
that Forgotten Heritage is a movie rather than something being read,   
therefor it may not completely time with the text as it is read, but   
rather with the events as they happen.   
  
Since I suspect very few readers are familiar with most of the songs   
listed, it is a bit of a moot point anyhow. :-)   
  
  
Morning Of My Life, Bee Gees   
Chapter 3: Slappy and Andy have breakfast.   
  
Never Ending Story #5: Sleepy Dragon   
Chapter 5, scene 2: Arthur takes a journey.   
  
Island, Jimmy Buffet   
Chapter 11: Andy and Slappy talk on the deck.   
  
Watership Down #2: Venturing Forth   
Chapter 11: Sasha escorts Andy through the woods.   
and   
Chapter 17: Andy reflects.   
  
Blue Waltz, Daniel Lanois   
Chapter 12: Arthur in L.A. / Andy and Lady Amber / Fluffy asks a favor   
  
Watership Down #8: Violet's Gone   
Chapter 13: Andy and Fern say goodbye.   
and   
Chapter 27: The animals say goodbye.   
  
Changing Channels, Jimmy Buffet   
Chapter 15: Babs in the library / Andy and Fluffy arriving at plateau   
  
Never Ending Story #11: Mirrorgate - Southern Oracle   
Chapter 15, scene 2 through end of chapter 16, scene 1: Andy and   
Fluffy depart and Andy reports to work   
  
Never Ending Story #4: Ruined Landscape   
Chapter 16, scene 2: Andy and Arthur talk and embrace   
  
Backdraft: Closing Theme   
Chapter 18, scene 2: Graduation ceremony   
  
Never Ending Story #10: Atreju Meets Fakcor   
Chapter 22, scene 2: Fluffy's ride   
  
Watership Down #10: Bright Eyes and Interlude   
Chapter 24: Fluffy's passing   
  
Secret Place, Daniel Lanois   
Chapter 25: Andy and Anthony talk   
  
A Change (will do you good), Sheryl Crow   
Chapter 25: Anthony takes a ride to Seattle   
  
Under A Stormy Sky, Daniel Lanois   
Chapter 25: Played as Andy and Anthony tour the country   
  
Who Wants To Live Forever, Queen   
Chapter 27, scene 1: Skippy slips away, Andy releases his powers   
  
Tahitian Skies, Chet Atkins and Mark Knofler   
Epilogue / end titles   
  
  
  
  
Story available at on FanFiction.net under Cartoons -> Tiny Toon Adventures   
  
  
  
  
Special Thanks To   
  
Acme Looniversity   
Tetra Dimensional Inc.   
Acme Labs   
The Southern California Woodland Animal Band   
The J.A.M.   
Doctor Lord   
  
  
  
  
No animals were harmed in the making of this fanfic   
  
  
  
  
Forgotten Heritage   
  
  
A Fan Fiction by   
Andy Fox   
  
(C) MMIII 


End file.
